Blue Moon Florist

MEET our MEMBER

Blue Moon Florist

By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer

Blue Moon Florist has been a full-service florist in Downingtown for over 26 years with outstanding quality flowers and services.

“I was going to be a lawyer, but when I started working for a florist at 15, plans changed,” explained Ami Trost, the owner of the business. “I eventually went to night school at Penn State majoring in business. But, as luck would have it, when I was 24, I had the opportunity to purchase Blue Moon Florist from two sisters. I stepped into a turn-key operation and here I am today, doing what I love.”

Trost added, “I actually started at the Downingtown Farmers’ Market. My cousin worked there for a farmer and she thought it would be fun if we both worked there. She put my name in at a florist shop. They hired me and trained me.”

Ironically, the part of her that would have made her a great lawyer has been a plus as she continued her journey into becoming an entrepreneur. “It’s funny,” she said. “I am a good debater, and that has been a good attribute as a business woman. To succeed, you have to have grit and determination and the ability to argue your point. y p Being a female business owner is tough.” ”

She explained, “It was a challenge to get get a business loan. The bank wanted to give e me $40,000. I knew I needed $60,000. I ultimately got that amount and paid it off in two years.”

After eight years into business, her landlord told her she had eight months to find a new property. Originally, she had wanted her own property, so she e was on the right path. The property she she bought was one-quarter of a mile from her her original location. They tore down an old house on the property and, in 11 months, had built a new structure.

“I did have a good business sense, but I had to convince lenders I knew what I was doing,” she explained. “One guy told me that my business plan was a field of dreams. I listened to my uncle, who told me banks are a dime a dozen and to keep knocking on doors.”

She did and eventually got the loan she needed.

She said there is no secret to her success. She simply tried to create an environment where employees can bring out the best in themselves.

“We encourage talent and creativity. We have fun and we have a positive attitude. We focus on the customer placing the order and the customer receiving the order. We have a lot of creative people who have worked here for a long time. We are here to create an arrangement that conveys our customers’ feelings to their friends and family,” Trost said.

But Trost said she is most proud of the relationship they have with their customers.

“They depend on us and we take that very seriously,” she said. “They are like family to us.”

And speaking of family, both her husband and her son work with her. Her husband joined her eight years ago. eigh “I’m creative, he is talented in the “I’ technology and marketing fields,” she explained. Her son is a gifted crafter. “It’s been a fun and challenging journey even with the COVID,” she said. journey “It was a mixed blessing. When COVID “It was hit, sending flowers was one thing people hit, send could do. They couldn’t visit or see each could do other, but they wanted to cheer up their loved other, but t ones. We actually saw a 25 percent increase in ones We actu our business.”

But there was a decline in weddings.

“We are a wedding florist and many weddings were put on hold in 2020,” she said. “We were slated to do 250 weddings, but only did 125. The weddings were down, but another part of our business went up. 2021 was a great year for weddings. We had more weddings last year than we thought we would. We are still exhausted. It strained our business and our employees. In 2022 we are recov-

ering from that and trying to give our staff a break. Throughout the whole wedding industry and really any industry in general, COVID has stressed everyone.”

Flexibility and positivity is the key for this business. They are moving forward. Trost sees the light at the end of the tunnel.

“We are still standing,” she said. “I still have customers from 26 years ago and that makes us so happy. We look forward to the year and will take a breath and regroup. We are so blessed to bring joy and beauty to the world at this time.”

For more information, visit their website at www.bluemoonflorist.com or call them at 610-873-7900.

NEW this Spring: al fresco dining on our grand new patio. al fresco dining on our grand new patio.

GREENSIDE GRILL at HONEYBROOK GOLF CLUB GREENSIDEGRILL HONEYBROOKGOLFCLUB GREENSIDEGRILLatHONEYBROOKGOLFCLUB 1422 Cambridge Road Honey Brook, PA 19344 www.greensidegrill.com (610) 273-0207 Open to the public.