My Biz: Iowa City floral shop ready for busy Valentine's Day

Kerry Feuerbach, floral manager at Pleasant Valley Flower Shoppe in Iowa City, believes that being a flower delivery person could be one of the happiest jobs around.

“Everybody loves fresh flowers,” he said.

Feurerbach owns Pleasant Valley Garden Center, which includes the flower shop, garden center and a golf course, with his wife Aleda, whose father started the business back in 1952. The family-owned business started in a small two-stall garage.

“We've added greenhouse operations and really evolved over the years,” Feuerbach said.

He joined the business in 1988 and the couple married a year later. That same year, Feuerbach decided the best role for him in the family business would be adding and managing a flower shop component.

“I went through the floral program at Kirkwood Community College, and we remodeled to add some coolers and display cases,” he recalled.

Pleasant Valley Flower Shoppe will be a busy place in the coming week.

“Whatever you do in a regular work day, multiply by 20 or 25, and that's what we try to do over the few days surrounding Valentine's Day,” Feuerbach said.

In a typical year the shop will fill 60 to 90 vases.

“I need to make sure we have plenty of staff on hand, that I've ordered containers and vases, and know what's new to promote,” Feuerbach said.

Red roses are always popular, but he likes to encourage customers to try a mix of colors when purchasing their Valentine's Day dozens. Over the past 10 to 15 years, Feuerbach said, he's seen many changes in the industry.

“I remember being at an FTD conference in 1991 and they were talking about the new ‘world wide web' that people were going to start using to order flowers through their computer,” he recalled.

“Customers are so much savvier today. They used to just call and ask for a bouquet of flowers. Now they are looking at pictures online and asking for specific flowers.

“It's a more visual experience for them.”

Name: Kerry Feuerbach

Title: Floral manager and owner

Company: Pleasant Valley Flower Shoppe

Address: 1301 S. Gilbert St., Iowa City

Phone: (319) 337-6632

Website: http://www.pleasantvalleyic.com

Know a manager or company in business for more than a year that should be considered for “My Biz”? Contact business editor Michael Chevy Castranova at michael.castranova@sourcemedia.net.