Good-old and new business in Charlottetown

Florist owner Alan Preston opened the shop 40 years ago. He enjoys business here.

Miwa Takahashi photo    

By Miwa Takahashi

Sept. 25, 2018

Alan Preston has had his share of customers over the year. Including the Queen.

In 1964, Queen Elizabeth visited Charlottetown. His shop did flowers, peonies and roses for her hotel stay.

Preston is the owner of heart and Flower at 149 Great George St. in Charlottetown. He opened the store 40 years ago, in 1978.

“I wanted a personal business rather than working for someone else.”

Since then, he has been having a nice time working with his family. Running the business here is not difficult. It is enjoyable, he said.

“Many people come to buy plants, especially students who need little plants for their dorm or for their apartment. Also, people buy flowers for occasions like wedding, anniversary, birthday and for sympathy. Sometimes they buy flowers for themselves.”  

The flowers and plants they provide are coming from farmers in Ontario. And many roses come from Ecuador.

He used to grow flowers at his home, but now he just buys them.

“Some people walk in, but many people contact us on the internet and phone because things changed and more people shop online.”

When people go to the website, they can buy by clicking the button on the screen.

The times are changing, but he is happy with this shop, said Preston. His goal is simple.

“To stay health and work as long as I can.”

The Centre for Craft Gallery is owned and operated by the PEI Crafts Council. It is a new business in Charlottetown.

Gallery manager Claire Palmer said they opened this shop this year.

“The crafts council has always had offices, but for many years we haven’t had a gallery space, like retail space. So we were able to acquire the space and then we could promote and show people products.”

The building has two floors. The first floor is a gallery and the second floor is office space used for educational purposes to help develop the craft industy.  

Executive director Ayelet Stewart works on the upper level.

She started working for the PEI Crafts Council in 1980 after the previous director left.

“She got an another job, so I was asked to step in and help. And I used to be a board member, so I know the organization well. I know how everything runs in the craft council.”

She is from Israel, but she has lived here for 18 years. Before she came here, she was in Japan to go to graduate school.

The most difficult thing about running a business is keeping a lot of products, Stewart said.

“Because we sell them quickly and we call up the artist. We say, ‘Brings more.’”

People from P.E.I. who appreciate hand-made and goods made here, come to the shop. Also, they get many tourists from cruise ships and from the Delta Hotel.

The goal is to stay open for a long time, Stewart said.

“We opened in May. So our goal is to stay here, to be able to succeed financially and to be able to support all artists. Another goal right now is we pay artists 60 per cent, so our goal is to pay a lot more, like 70 per cent of the price.”

Palmer also has a goal.

She wants to encourage people to consider joining the industry as a member. So she uses social media and website.

The PEI Crafts Council has 45 members who create goods made in P.E.I. Some students are also involved in its membership, however, all are required to have a professional skill.