Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsay Levita and Amanda El-Khoury.
Lindsay, Amanda, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Cornell Florist has been in it’s location in Hyde Park since the 1930s. In 2012, we were approached about acquiring it. The storefront features some beautiful original architectural details, like our hardwood cooler. Not many of them remain, so when we saw the beveled glass and brass fixtures, we knew it was something we wanted to be a part of.
We also wanted to bring a fresher approach to flowers to the neighborhood. We are committed to making arrangements with as much seasonally available product as possible and are always pushing ourselves to experiment and innovate in our designs.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The storefront renovations had to happen immediately, which was costly. We are still working on renovating the workshop!
Staffing a small business is always a challenge. We ramp up quite a lot during holidays and wedding season, but then have slower moments in between. It’s difficult to adjust staffing needs while we grow as well. We want to be fair to the people who work with us and offer them the opportunity to stick around but it’s hard to keep a staff during slower times of the year.
Another challenge has been being south of the loop. Hyde Park is quite isolated from much of the city, as there are no L stops in the neighborhood. It’s been a slow process to introduce ourselves to the rest of the city, so we are very happy to be a part of this issue!
Please tell us about Cornell Florist.
We enjoy seeking out the best flowers and foliage of the season and are always on the look-out for the most moving colors and textures. The natural world inspires us and surfaces in our work as rambling shapes, contrasting textures and unlikely ingredients. We stock a rotating variety of unusual plants as well as a selection handmade goods from around the world, including ceramics by Cécile Daladier and Jennefer Hoffman, as well as artist books by Johanna Tagada. We also love to host our biannual plant sale, as well as floral workshops throughout the year.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1645 E 55th St.
Chicago IL 60615 - Website: www.cornellflorist.com
- Phone: 773-324-1651
- Email: flowers@cornellflorist.com
- Instagram: @cornellflorist
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cornellflorist
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