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Crestwood Flowers sees business bloom during holidays

Crestwood Flowers
Posted at 5:00 AM, Dec 11, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-11 08:26:52-05

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As small businesses in our community navigate the pandemic's winter months, one business in the Crestwood shopping neighborhood is into one of its busiest seasons during the holidays.

At Crestwood Flowers, business is blooming with two weeks until Christmas, wrapping up a challenging year.

"March was the first time we've closed for any extended period of time as a business since it opened in 1932," said Karina Swearingin, whose family owns the store.

They returned for Mother’s Day and business has been blossoming since.

"We keep adapting and we're really fortunate to be able to have a business that a lot of our business comes in over the telephone and some of the internet," Swearingin said.

Their digital store is available online where they're taking orders and are hard at work on wreaths and holiday arrangements.

"We really only get at one time a year...cedar and the fir and the pine...we're able to make arrangements now that we know people will still have come Christmas and New Year," Swearingin explained.

Open since 1932 and under the current ownership since 1978, Crestwood Flowers owners said it’s a recession-proof business, with many uses and many occasions to buy flowers for a loved one.

"People I think are starting to understand that flowers do matter a little bit more," Swearingin said.

She did point out one unfortunate trend.

"Unfortunately there has been an increase in get well arrangements, we've definitely noticed in the last week or so," Swearingin explained.

Nevertheless, no matter the occasion or reason, they take pride in their work, comforting their customers.

"It's really a great thing and it does make a difference," Swearingin said. "Brightens, you know, just one person’s day, that's pretty good."

Crestwood Flowers is open Monday through Saturday.

One of the signs in their store says, "community over convenience," as they stress to the community to buy local for loved ones this holiday season.

We've created a Facebook group, We're Open Kansas City, where members of the community can post businesses serving their community.