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THREE GENERATIONS OF SUCCESS, A SHOP FOUNDED IN 1923 IS STILL IN FULL BLOOM

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Three Generations of Success, A shop founded in 1923 is still in full bloom

Aug 1, 2008 -

By Heidi Anderson, editor

Frank Mancuso III was born and raised into a floral family, and now, along with his father, Frank Mancuso II, owns the shop his grandfather and great uncle founded, Mancuso’s Florist in St. Clair Shores, Mich. “We been family owned and operated since 1923,” Mancuso said. “I grew up in the shop.”

When his grandfather, Frank Mancuso I, passed away in 1982, his dad and aunt took over, and in 1999 Mancuso joined his dad as co-owner.

“I can do everything, from delivery to clean-up to flower processing,” Mancuso said. “I’ve learned to do pretty much anything and everything.”
While he doesn’t dabble in design, his aunts Bette and Diane work as designers at the shop, along with 18 other full- and part-time employees.

Mancuso’s is a full-service florist, offering everything from fresh flowers and green and blooming plants to an extensive gift line and more, all housed in the 5,000-square-foot store. And this third-generation owner recently moved to his third location.

Mancuso’s previously had two locations, one in St. Clair Shores and one in Detroit. In October 2007, they merged both stores into a brand new location in St. Clair Shores.

“We can now operate more efficiently and keep our overhead down,” Mancuso said.

While the Detroit location was 10,000 square feet, Mancuso said a lot of that space was broken up and unusable.

“Now we are more functional, and we’re set up exactly how we need and want to be,” he said. “From the coolers to the front counters, storage and consultation areas, everything is just the way we need it.”

And Mancuso’s tries to keep things just the way their customers need them.

“We focus on the flowers,” Mancuso said. “We’re a florist and that’s where we keep on our toes. Our knowledge, the freshness of the product, everything is focused on the flowers. We keep sharp and keep up with changes in the floral industry.”

And with Michigan’s changing economy, Mancuso still has a positive outlook.

“There’s always a need for flowers,” he said. “People may be spending a little less, but people are still sending flowers for birthdays, anniversaries, everyday occasions.

Flowers are such great gifts that bring happiness and joy to people. Our flowers are delivered by a real flowers shop, arranged in a real vase, delivered by a real driver. It’s not coming in the mail in a box. That is such an important thing.”

Michigan Florist Editor Heidi Anderson caught up with Frank Mancuso to learn more about Mancuso’s Florist.

Heidi Anderson (HA): What are your tips for eye-catching displays?

Frank Mancuso (FM): We have a design staff that is constantly looking for new ways to grab people’s attention. It’s a never-ending thing. They do a lot of research and observing on their own time. We take all ideas and make them unique in our store.

HA: How do you keep up with current trends in the floral industry?

FM: We’re constantly going to floral shows and gift show to learn the new trends, the latest and greatest. Our staff is constantly reading trade magazines. We always want to keep up the latest and greatest.

HA: What is your favorite part of the floral industry?

FM: There are so many. My favorite part is seeing the way people react when they get flowers; the reaction on their face and the fact that something so simple can bring such an end result.

HA: Have you found success with your Web site, www.mancusos.com?

FM: Yes we have. We get a lot of calls from people who saw the site. Our Web site is user-friendly and attracts attention. Customers can order securely online. We’re working to improve even more to keep up with the latest technology.

HA: How has being an MFA member benefited your shop?

FM: We like the Workman’s Compensation program. And MFA offers a lot of good programs that are good for a lot of shops, and will be more and more useful over time. As the future comes and we grow our business, we will utilize more programs.

HA: What kinds of marketing tools do you use to get customers into your shop?

FM: We do a lot of marketing, direct mail, e-mail promotions, everything. We have our plan of attack and we go after it.

HA: Since this issue features holiday planning, what do you do to get ready for Christmas?

FM: We do an open house and feature Christmas products and arrangements. It’s a time where our customers can come in, look at products early and talk to other customers. It’s a good way to get people excited about Christmas, and in particular, about the Christmas products that we have. It’s so important. We feature all the traditional things and our own custom offerings. Every year we have one special item that is exclusive to our shop.