Article Presented by:
Wesley Berry, AAF
What are you wishing for this Christmas? One Ohio florist is getting a new roof that he hopes will not only be strong enough to withhold the weight of Santa Claus, but also to prevent any further rain from damaging his flower shop.
Roger Morgan, owner of Flowers Designed by Roger in Lancaster, Ohio recently lost his roof to heavy Ohio rains-more than 2 inches in a single night! He arrived at his shop on October 17th at 6:30 a.m. to find that his roof had a serious leak. There were a few ceiling tiles on the floor and some water dripping in. But, concerned about the casket spray he had due for a customer at ten that morning; he simply grabbed a bucket and moved a few plants out of the way. He had no idea how much worse the situation would get before the day was over.
A bit later in the morning, a couple more tiles fell from the ceiling, so Morgan propped up a makeshift sign instructing his customers to please use the side door due to a roof emergency. Then, as he and his employees placed a few more buckets under the drips, they heard a frightening cracking sound coming from the ceiling followed by the sound of roaring water. Morgan yelled, "Let's run for the back door," and he and his employees escaped safely.
You would think that an event like that would shut down operations for the day, but Morgan knew he had a grieving family waiting for that casket spray. After firefighters came to shut off gas valves to the building, Morgan asked them to help him find a place for the designer to finish the spray. They set up a temporary design table and kept right on working.
Morgan was fortunate to have a good business insurance policy that paid for the roofing repairs as well as payroll expenses for the month. He was also lucky that the cave in didn't occur over his business office where his records were kept. And, Lancaster, Ohio residents were lucky to have such a dedicated florist in their area. Morgan isn't planning to close his store while repairs are made. Instead, they'll continue working out of the undamaged side of the store.
Morgan expects his sales to slack off during the renovation since his front entrance will remain closed. However, he's placed a sign on the door saying, "Yes, We're Open" and an "Open" sign on the back door.
With some luck and speedy workmanship, Morgan will likely be up and running at maximum efficiency by Christmas...just in time for all those holiday centerpiece and gift orders!
About the Author:
Wesley Berry is member of the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF) and President of Wesley Berry Flowers, a successful multi-million dollar floral business that was established in 1946. As a member of the Henry Ford Hospital Community Relation Board he has contributed to the community at large. He owns both a brick and mortar and an internet flower delivery business. Visit Wesley Berry Flowerson the web at www.800wesleys.com.
