60
September | 2023
60
Business
One Florist's Foray
into Gift Baskets
"How I started offering gift baskets is an interesting
story," says Elaine Ousley-Nevarez, owner of Elaine's
Florist & Gift Baskets, in Houston, Texas. "I opened
Elaine's Florist in 1992, after taking classes from the late,
great Frankie Shelton, AIFD, CFD, AAF, PFCI, at the
Shelton School of Floral Design in Houston. After that, I
would often call Frankie with business questions. After a
few years in business, the owner of a gift-basket business
near my shop called and asked if I would be interested
in purchasing her company, so I called Frankie. I told her
of the offer, and she said "Don't buy it; just change your
business name to Elaine's Florist & Gift Baskets, and let
your current customers know that you now offer gift
baskets. I followed her recommendation and went to
the gift market in Dallas, where I met several vendors
for my gift basket inventory. I even took a class on
designing gift baskets that was being offered.
"Today, we offer gourmet food baskets, baby gift baskets
and spa baskets. Our gift baskets account for about 15
percent of our annual sales, and our clients love having
the additional gift options, especially during the holiday
season. Two of our best sellers are our "Howdy Pard'ner"
Texas-themed basket, which includes gourmet products
made in Texas, and our "Party in a Box" birthday basket,
which includes flowers, gourmet food and balloons.
We purchase the boxes we use from BoxCo, and our
primary gourmet suppliers are SAKSCO Gourmet Basket
Supplies, JDW Distributors and Redstone Foods."
"Howdy Pard'ner" Texas Gift Basket
Elaine's Florist & Gift Baskets
"Thank You" Gift Basket—Elaine's Florist & Gift Baskets "Teddy Takes a Ride" Children's Gift Basket—Elaine's Florist & Gift Baskets
