Jenifer and Pat Franklin:
Business in bloom for mother-daughter team

Potted greenery and vibrant flowers, packages of gourmet tea biscuits and bars of French-milled soap — at KaBloom of Mill Creek, visitors are invited to revel in a bit of indulgence while enjoying the serene atmosphere.

Just don’t expect owner Jenifer Franklin or her mother and store manager, Pat Franklin, to sit still long enough to do so.

Snohomish County Business Journal/KIMBERLY HILDEN The mother-daughter team of Pat (left) and Jenifer Franklin operate KaBloom of Mill Creek, which opened over a year ago in the Mill Creek Town Center.

Since opening the store in March 2005, the two have been immersed in the day-to-day challenges of running a flower shop: the ebb and flow of business between holidays and the wedding season, the time pressure in creating custom-ordered floral arrangements, and the ongoing care required of the inventory.

“I was not prepared for the level of maintenance. It’s like a nursery with (hundreds) of screaming babies, but the flowers have a certain life and need attention,” said Pat, smiling.

“The labor cost is different than other types of retail,” agreed Jenifer, who handles the administrative side of things. “For us, it takes, three, four, five people (working) every day.”

But she said the rewards of owning her own business more than make up for the long hours.

A former business consultant, Jenifer said she had always wanted to run her own enterprise, but the idea of starting from scratch was a bit daunting. With the help of a franchise consultant, she settled on KaBloom, a floral retail franchise headquartered in Boston that has more than 90 outlets nationwide.

The sales volume that comes with such a network ensures greater purchasing power — and a fast turnaround time on flowers, which are shipped directly from growers, said Jenifer, who had a strong supporter in her mother.

“It was an exciting concept and idea, and I love working with Jenifer,” Pat said.

Then it was time to start the new venture.

“It’s been a very sharp learning curve,” Pat said. “We took a three-week, full-time course at the Floral Design Institute, and I did another week of advanced training. And we did three weeks of training at KaBloom headquarters.”

Jenifer also hired Candice Hays Riddle, who has 11 years of floral design experience, to strengthen the design team.

Being one of the first shops to open in the south end of the Mill Creek Town Center meant less foot traffic in the beginning, but business picked up during the shop’s first summer thanks to “walk-in weddings,” said Jenifer, who is an active member of the business community as an ambassador for the South Snohomish County Chamber of Commerce.

Business continued to increase throughout 2005, with KaBloom cultivating a relationship with the nearby Merrill Gardens retirement community, providing flower arrangements for the lobby and dining room tables, she said.

This year, the Mill Creek flower shop is expected to meet its business plan, with an expected 40 percent increase in sales and a push to expand corporate accounts, said Jenifer, who expects the rewards — and harried existence — of being a small-business owner to increase along with sales.

“Here the time just flies. It’s amazing how quickly time flies,” she said.

KaBloom of Mill Creek is located at 15415 Main St., Suite D-101, in the Mill Creek Town Center. For more information, call 425-385-3501 or go online to www.KaBloom.com.

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