 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
 |
FEATURE ARTICLES | |
Memo Calendar | Memo Pad | Business Memos | Loaves & Fishes | Letters | Home |
Darlene Vinson
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO
 |
| Using a bit of flair, Janice Hill of Menlo Park Flowers arranges a customer’s flowers while Joy Cox looks on. |
| MEMO PHOTO: TIM CURRAN |
One of the Plaza’s constants is Menlo Park Flowers. An original tenant, the shop was moved as a result of the 2000 Menlo Park Plaza reconfiguration, but owner Lynne Pohrman and her experienced staff are part of a chain of florists who have served Mid-County for fifty years. Pohrman has four employees Joy Cox, Janice Hill, Marylou Zimmerman and Kris Cunningham.
Pohrman takes pride in offering the freshest flowers available and in creating unique, artistic arrangements for her customers. To accomplish this, she makes the trek, three to four mornings every week, at 6 a.m., to the fresh flower market on Swan Island. With rows and rows of vendors and virtually unlimited choices, she goes to local growers first. Pohrman does this not only to support local businesses, but because buying local insures fresher flowers. Pohrman points out that most flowers in supermarkets and chain grocery stores are from distant places like South America. Time spent in transit reduces bloom time once they land in a customer’s vase.
Menlo Park Flowers boasts three experienced floral designers plus Pohrman. Each has a minimum of 20 years in the flower arranging trade, so all are prepared to assist should the need be for a wedding, funeral, prom, anniversary, or other special occasion. “We care and sympathize when sad occasions occur as with illness or funeral flowers,” Pohrman says. “No matter what the occasion we always try to make each customer’s flowers specialized and beautiful. Flowers are an important part in expressing feelings from joy to sorrow. Flowers can lift the spirit with their wonderful fragrance and color.” She gets the most satisfaction from designing for funerals as she says this is the last loving tribute in which friends and family are involved. Pohrman says she sometimes gets to be part of the cupid process when people in love come to her with frequent requests for flower designs that sometimes culminate in the joy of designing for their wedding.
Choose from fresh designs, live plants, silk arrangements, balloons and candy. Selections can be easily picked up at Menlo Park Flowers, or local delivery can be requested. As part of the Teleflora network, Menlo Park Flowers can arrange for delivery of flowers anywhere in the world. Menlo Park Flowers supports the Mid-County community with generous donations to local schools and charities.
In addition to spending her working career at floral shops throughout Portland, Pohrman was an instructor at the Portland Floral Design Institute for two years. She has owned Menlo Park Flowers for 11 years. She says customers fall into a couple of categories: either traditional or trendy. They’re happy to help good causes. To name a selected few, they include: The Parkrose High School Rose Court, other school activities, St Therese Catholic Church, Human Solutions, Union Gospel Mission, Portland Christian Schools.
Menlo Park Flowers is located at 12433 N.E. Glisan St. The shop is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. They are closed on Sundays. Call 503-257-9165 to have one of the talented artists on staff create an arrangement for you or visit the website at www.menloparkflorist.com to make your selection.
 |
 |
 |
MEMO Advertising | MEMO Archives | MEMO Web Neighbors | MEMO Staff | Home