Toronto, March 19, 2018
Scientists in the GTA discovered a life form long thought extinct, name it Florasaurus.
It would appear that this creature represents an evolutionary failure. Or, more precisely, the failure of a great many florists of the time to adapt to a changing environment.
"As recently as ten years ago flower shops were quite common," notes one of the researchers. "These were generally real brick and mortar shops, often family owned, that had highly skilled designers on staff. They were for the most part artisans who could get by primarily on their love of flowers and one or two other plusses - a good location, an established name, etc. Too often they ignored the realities of the business."
It is believed that around 2008 there was a fork in the evolutionary road. A few of the traditional shops took a hard look around at what they faced - a worrisome economy and relentless pressure from direct shippers, online order gatherers, grocery stores and big-box retailers. They chose to make changes that would allow them to not just survive but thrive in the decades ahead. They evolved into the relatively scarce - but very successful - flower shops that we see today.
Sadly, most florists did not choose to follow this path. They instead chose to stay with the same business practices that had worked once. It was widely believed that all of the shops who followed this path were extinct within a few years - until now.
The Florasaurus somehow managed to survive, albeit barely. This creature gives us valuable insight to an industry at a crossroads, and the choices that separated those who made it from those who did not.
