When the owners of Haentze Floral in Fond Du Lac, Wis., celebrate their shop's 150th anniversary this fall, the party will be simple — but big-hearted.

In June, severe floods damaged the homes of hundreds of families living in and around Fond Du Lac. Given the flood, Tony Ferdinand and his team will commemorate Haentze's sesquicentennial anniversary Sept. 27 with a "low key" party featuring kids' games, food, flowers and charitable contributions. Thanks to donated product from suppliers, attendees will be able to buy a dozen roses for $6. The proceeds of those sales will go to the Salvation Army.

"We want to give back," Ferdinand says. "We're successful because of the people who have supported us for 150 years."

Nine hundred miles away in Norristown, Pa., Chris Drummond, AAF, and Heather Tuckey also are celebrating a landmark event, the 25th anniversary of Plaza Flowers, the shop their mother started in 1983. The pair used a number of ads and billboards to promote the anniversary and make the celebration a yearlong event. Their efforts caught the attention of state lawmakers: Sen. John Rafferty (R-44) and Rep. Mike Vereb (R-Montgomery) who recently recognized Plaza Flowers as "an outstanding business."

"I'm proud to know each of you as a friend, proud to support your business and proud that you have succeeded," Rafferty said during the in-store presentation. "I look forward to coming here for another 25 years." (Check out a video of the presentation on Plaza Flowers' YouTube channel.)

Steal These Ideas:

• Celebrate your store's milestone anniversaries (be it your first or fiftieth) by throwing a get-together and donating proceeds to a local charity.
• Promote your anniversary through ads and press releases.
• Boast about your achievements to local officials. They want local businesses to be successful, and they love free press. 

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

 

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