Natural disaster influences business owner to strive for more

When Rebecca Pflughaupt's store Garden Gate flooded in 2008 she had owned the business for just eight short months. The shop was flooded with seven feet of water during the natural disaster, leaving Pflughaupt without a store location for 10 months. Yet, she has no regrets, and even finds positive lessons and a new sense of community in an area she has admired since a child.

After taking over the business from the previous owners, Pflughaupt felt comfortable in her new role. As Garden Gate's building was being restored, Pflughaupt used the time to reconsider her business plans.“The first eight months that I owned the business I really felt like I had a feel for everything, but the time off from the flood to regroup allowed me to come back feeling stronger – like I could do even more,” Pflughaupt said.She changed her marketing, as well as her product lines and designs, taking into consideration what she felt customers were really looking for. Additionally, Pflughaupt began attending events hosted by the Chamber's Business Success Initiative, joined a networking group, attended more design shows, and always keeps an eye out for products that are unique. The disaster also provided an opportunity for Pflughaupt to rearrange space in the store to be more retail friendly, allowing room for more gifts. Specifically gift lines that work well for the downtown clientele base. Garden Gate is a full service flower shop specializing in everyday arrangements along with wedding and funeral pieces.  Delivery throughout the Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha, and Robins area is available, with a reduced rate for downtown deliveries. From candles to cards, necklaces, and various home decoration, Pflughaupt sees her shop as the perfect store to find a great gift for a co-worker or loved one. Her product offerings are unique and have her special touch.“Our greeting cards are the funniest around,” Pflughaupt said. “Nobody has greeting cards like this, and I really like that.”                 She makes a point to buy products in the Midwest, staying as local as possible. With a demand for Irish products, she had a surprisingly difficult time finding a Midwest vendor, but kept looking until she could find one nearby. She also prides herself in having fresh, long-lasting flowers and products that are in anybody's price range.                Keeping her customer needs, and the community, in mind is important to Pflughaupt. She makes it a point to keep her business open during downtown events, even if it's outside of regular business hours. While she always felt downtown Cedar Rapids was a draw for people, she found an increased sense of community as people pulled together during the flood of 2008.                 “Before the flood, you didn't really know the people who were passing by on the street,” Pflughaupt said. “Now people go by and they wave. I can stand outside my door and have a conversation with people walking by or other business owners. We've all been through the same fight now, and we are much closer.”Downtown Cedar Rapids holds fond memories for Pflughaupt. As a child it was where she did her school shopping, and she remembers the area as being unique and vibrant. It still holds that same unique feeling for her, and she's excited about the progress that's developing, from the amphitheatre to the New Bo market and work on the Paramount Theatre.“I hope Cedar Rapids continues to grow and flourish,” Pflughaupt said. “As we keep moving on, the flood is becoming a distant memory with every passing day. I hope people look for the positive things that came out of it.”Garden Gate is located at 125 Third Avenue SE and can be reached by phone at 319-362-1884 or online at http://www.gardengateflowers.org.

View our photo gallery of Garden Gate here: http://bit.ly/qqiwy6 

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