I own a hair salon. Typically, November is my busiest season. It has been SO quiet. A lot of my colleagues are also saying the same thing and have had to close up shop because of it - or get a second job.
People keep saying it will get better and the economy will bounce back but I don’t know. I am so close from just throwing in the towel, closing up shop and getting a corporate gig.
My flower shop has been slow most of the year but the last couple of months are pretty bad. The discretionary part of our business has really taken a hit. We still have weddings and funerals but even those people are spending less.
I have sometimes wondered if a flower shop could partner with companies to provide regular, fresh flowers for their office. Like, come in once a week and swap out the dying flowers with fresh ones.
If you don’t mind me asking, is that a thing?
It is a thing, but not as popular as providing plants for an office and keeping them looking good. The problem is that during tough times those services are the first to go. The customers assume they can take care of them and save money. The good thing is when times get better they buy all new plants from you because they let the other ones die.
Flower shop owner here and we’re in the same boat mostly, we’re also slowing down a bit on weddings and quite frankly the brides I’m meeting with are becoming so demanding of your time–I’m talking 10 emails back and forth + hours sunken into proposals before I see a dollar, not to mention the amount of times you get ghosted now after you meet with someone, I’m planning on changing my methods within the new year with how I handle new clients. Funerals I’m seeing a dip too because so many people now in my area are opting for what I call “quickie” services where there is either no viewing or one that maybe lasts an hour before they are off to the cemetery so no one bothers sending anything OR they spend less because in their eyes what’s the point of spending $200 on a traditional funeral piece to sit there for only an hour and then get thrown out essentially. It really is rough and I feel you.