Today we’d like to introduce you to Renee Blitek AIFD, CFD, ICPF.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Renee. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started my business with minimal knowledge of the floral industry so I started taking every class and seminar possible. With each class, my passion for flowers grew and grew. I also grew to love all types of flowers. My creative nature leads me to become inducted into the American Institute of Floral Design (AIFD).
Throughout my career, I have done presentations to the community. I am an adjunct faculty member of McHenry County College, teaching silk and dried floral design. I have been president of the Iliana unit of Teleflora and a past board member of Illinois State Florists Association. I am an award-winning designer. I am a certified floral Evaluator/Judge. As you can tell, my passion for education in the floral industry has also grown.
My current passion in the floral industry is weddings. I have done weddings in New York, St. Petersburg, FL, Universal Studios, FL, and Cleveland, OH. The wedding that was done in Universal Studios was also featured on the cover of Southern Bride magazine. The wedding florals have changed so much in the last 20 years. Different trends keep my creative side blooming!
Has it been a smooth road?
There are always struggles in any business. In the beginning, trying to find the right marketing was the worst! Spending money on different forms of advertising that didn’t work. Word of mouth referrals, soon came and I was off and running. The floral artistry came easily for me. The business aspects are more difficult. Hiring the best professionals to help run the business took some time.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Renee’s of Ridgefield is a full service floral shop, which means we create floral designs from birth to death and everything in between. We specialize in weddings. We do approximately 50 weddings a year. Our weddings range from a simple bridal bouquet and boutonniere to large scale weddings. I feel we are best known for our quality and creativeness. We try to focus on the bride’s vision for her wedding, without trying to push our own agenda. Working within a bride’s budget, can sometimes be trying! We try not to focus 100% on cost but on creativity. We try to not lose focus on what is really important for each bride, as they are all different issues. Renee’s of Ridgefield has been in business 20 years as of October 31. This has been an amazing feat as I see so many long time flower shops closing during the past few years. I feel our customer service has been one of our best attributes. We try to make our customers feel that whatever we create for them is something that we would create for our own mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, etc. We are very proud of the family of associates that work for us.
Shirley is a master designer certified with the Illinois State Florists Association and has been with me for 10 years. Other past employees have also been certified with Illinois State Florists Association. I feel it is important to let our customers know that this education is important to us. We strive for the best. This certification is one of the things that sets us apart from other flower shops in the area. Certification lets our customers know that we are the best at what we do even before they see our work.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Crystal Lake is a good place for my business. I am located in the unincorporated antique town of Ridgefield. It is a quaint little town located between Crystal Lake and Woodstock. I would not recommend them starting out here as the demographics could not sustain another flower shop. There are 6 flower shops already in this area with a few collar communities also serving our area. I would recommend them starting a shop in a place with less flower shops around or a larger population. There are some areas that currently do not have a flower shop. That would be my first option.
Contact Info:
- Address: 8505 Ridgefield Road.,
Crystal Lake, IL 60012 - Website: www.reneesofridgefield.com : www.reneesflowers.com
- Phone: 815-459-0180
- Email: reneesofridgefield@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Studio One Photography
Happily Ever After Photography
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