Northport Biz Q&A: Laurel and Lily, Limited

In our new weekly feature, Patch gets out into the business community to get a feel for the pulse of small business in Northport. This week we stopped in at in Northport Village to speak with owner Marty Lang as he prepared for the annual Valentine's Day rush.

1. What's popular right now? "Vases and natural are the big trend. I have a customer who comes in all the time and she's got everything from little ink bottles to mason jars and does a whole table arrangement each time. Color wise it goes with the season-- summer is wild and sunny, spring is pastels, winter is whites, and fall is orange and red. Red roses will always be popular on Valentine's Day-- you can never get away from that-- though some people do a bouquet with just one rose that isn't necessarily red."

2. Valentines Day is one of the biggest days of the year for florists. What are your expectations? "Last year was good, but that was the first year I was open, so this is guess work and I don't know what to expect. I'm finding from about all the florists and suppliers that I've talked to that everyone's in the same boat with the economy. Nobody knows what to expect. It could be average, or it could be wonderful."

3. What's the wildest request your business has gotten? "We've had people bring by their engagement rings to be put in with flowers which have made me a nervous wreck. We've also gotten some other wild stuff, things I can't talk about."

4. What's the best way to keep flowers fresh? "As soon as you get them home, re-cut them-- about 1/2 to 3/4 inch and put them right in fresh luke warm water. Change the water every day to every two days. With woody-stemmed flowers like hydrangeas, cut the ends and smash them with a hammer-- just one whack-- and it'll suck up the water much better."

5. How is it going up against big corporations like 1-800-Flowers? "It's changed the flower industry altogether and made it harder for the smaller shops to compete. That's the way the world is now-- everyone wants something easier and cheaper and unfortunately with that goes a decrease in quality... The people who come into the smaller shops, they're looking for something different, they know the florist, who knows their taste. You can call a customer and say 'hey, we got peonies in this week, I know they're your favorite.' They'll come in and buy an armful of peonies for their table. You still need your ties to the community, you really do. You start to take pride in the community because you're developing friendships. It's a respect for community and a wonderful service where you're as excited about showing them what you can do as they are about getting what you can do."