Town Talk: Blooming a beautiful business

When I arrange to meet with someone — especially someone I haven’t met — I line up questions to ask; things I need to know to tell their story — or in case the conversation stalls. However, when I walked into this exquisite boutique florist, I felt I knew a great deal about Lauren Kiss.

Her love of flowers was, of course, on display; her artistry and her passion for beauty were apparent, and there was something else I couldn’t quite get my head around — until I eventually asked a question or two.

Lauren left two capable ladies in charge of her store, and we walked a couple of doors up McLennan St to have a coffee at Taste of Capri — a relatively new and, I’m sure, welcome addition to the shopping centre. I’d also asked if Lauren’s father could join us because, if ever a man knows his town, John Kiss knows Mooroopna. But more about John later.

Lauren told me that she was, initially, a graphic artist but had moved around, trying other creative fields, until she worked as a florist. Here, everything came together, and this is her pathway — her life’s work. However, as she talked, I began to get a glimpse of the elusive ‘other thing’ that beautiful shop had been telling me. Lauren is a ‘people person’. She is warm and open-hearted. She, quite naturally, gives and shares. Although I have no doubt about her business skills, this is not a lady who counts sales. She is far more likely to be thinking: “That is the third person this morning that we’ve made happy.” Her store is so very attractive because it’s good for business — but also because she wants people to enjoy it as much as she does. With every sale, Lauren is building relationships, making friends and, because it is totally natural, offering outstanding customer service.

Hydie Blooms opened in June 2021 and had two weeks’ trade before a long lockdown. However, having had experience with flowers and lockdowns the previous year, Lauren knew what to do. The shop was shut, but orders could still come in — and be delivered. She offered free delivery over the months of lockdown. And business? Well, it bloomed!

The store was, of course, named after her favourite flower, the hydrangea. And she talked about the growing demand for the flower and that she was now able to obtain it for a large part of the year. (I am also a lover of hydrangeas, and she gave me a tip. If you have them in a vase, make sure you turn them upside down and dip them into water. They absorb water through their petals. I’ve grown, picked and appreciated these flowers all my life — and never knew that!)

Lauren also mentioned her gratitude to the people of Mooroopna, for their support and friendship. She grinned when she told me that a couple of people had asked if she was a local. Her reply? “Yes, I’m John Kiss’s daughter — Mooroopna born and bred.” However, she is also delighted by customers from outside the town — Shepp, Tat, Ky and everywhere in between — and is happy to deliver.

Her dad, who had been politely quiet up until then, told me that her cut flowers, when purchased, last a surprisingly long time. They are not kept in cool rooms. They go directly to the shop, turn over quickly and the customer is the beneficiary.

They were both delighted by a small coincidence. When John was in business in the town, he had a little bell over the door. He sold his business and later the purchaser moved, taking the bell. When Lauren moved into her store, John’s little bell was over the door. He suggested she get something more up to date, but she refused. The little bell tinkles away, a reminder of times past, still doing its job.

Now, I’m going to suggest you take a short drive to Mooroopna. Hydie Blooms is on the right side of the shopping centre (if you are travelling from Shepp). It is situated in the second block from Echuca Rd — near GMCU, Pampens Boutique and Taste of Capri — perhaps have a coffee while you’re there? Lauren is not the sort of shopkeeper who will object if you are ‘just looking’. Be prepared, though, it is difficult to resist. (I couldn’t!) There are very special gifts — that I haven’t seen elsewhere. Quite honestly, this is the most beautiful boutique store I have seen in a very, very long time — if ever.

Now — her dad!

John Kiss was involved in real estate for around 40 years, including 25 years running his own business.

There was a time, towards the end of the last century, (what a long time ago that sounds — and is!) when my job was to look after sales for the newspaper group. Because real estate has always been an important part of the newspapers, I knew of every real estate agent from Deniliquin to Seymour, and Benalla to Rochester. (Yarrawonga had yet to become a part of the group.) I didn’t know all the real estate people personally — but I knew of them. Many times, I walked the streets of these towns, talking to business people, to people sitting on benches, to people in the pubs. I wanted to know what they thought about their newspaper, how we could improve it and what the advertising meant to them. I needed to know the town, you see. (A somewhat confusing aside — in Deniliquin they called me ‘Deniliquin’s Tina Turner’. Now I’m Caucasian, can’t sing to save my life and my husband has never hit me! So, why this peculiar title? I have never been able to figure it out!)

Anyway, I knew who John Kiss was and I knew of his reputation — people trusted him. If we came across one another, I guess we’d have nodded and smiled and that would have been it. But we had a great chat last Tuesday.

John started his business the day the world shook (October 1987) when the stock markets crashed. Apparently, it was started when Japan and West Germany pushed up interest rates, which caused US rates to rise — and triggered a massive sell-off of shares. In Australia, share prices fell by 40 per cent. I told John that I clearly remembered that particular day. I was attending a week-long seminar run by The Age, for people with ‘management potential’ — or not! Senior Age management appeared and told us to take the morning off, to enable us to do whatever had to be done with our share portfolios. Few of us had any shares (having ‘potential’ but not much else) and so we had coffees (and/or cigarettes) and talked.

Although it wasn’t the most propitious of days to be opening the doors of a real estate business, it didn’t prevent John from getting off to a good start. He appears to have thoroughly enjoyed his years in the industry, which you do if you are doing your best to do the right things.

So, we talked about Mooroopna and the ways in which it had changed. John reckons that the town has changed with the times — that as society has changed, requiring different services, so Mooroopna has met those needs. As an example, he asked me if — in the past — I had ever gone out to breakfast. No! Of more recent times, I had gone out for brunch, but not breakfast. He said there were now places, including the coffee shop in which we sat, that offered a cooked breakfast — because that’s what people wanted.

He also talked about the Mooroopna/Shepparton relationship. He believes parochial attitudes have softened substantially since 1994 — and continue to improve today. I guess we have Jeff Kennett to thank for this. Although initially resented by the people of Mooroopna, the amalgamation of Rodney and Shepparton shires has proved to be a positive, in John’s view. He said so many people worked in one town and lived in the other that the ‘barriers’ no longer existed; that good blocks of land were still available in Mooroopna and the drive was a short one.

As I write this, I remember that, a few years ago, I interviewed a Shepparton businessman who lived in Mooroopna. At the time, I was writing a booklet for the city, a reasonably substantial one, to — hopefully — interest people in a tree change, in our direction. This chap had moved here from Geelong, where he was a well-known footballer. (I’m sure some of you will know this man and be aware that there is more to his story. However, I cannot/will not tell it without his permission. Perhaps, one day!) I can tell you, however, that he thought choosing Mooroopna had been a wise choice; it took him eight minutes to get to work — which was nothing compared to his previous commute — and was just long enough to get his thoughts into work-mode.

I thank Lauren and John for a good, and enjoyable, conversation — and wish Lauren all the best for the future.

My apologies

I have had to hold over historical information sent by one of our readers. It includes text as well as artwork and needs more space than I have available. Next week, though, I promise.

Have a good week. It’s the autumn solstice tomorrow — and keep your eyes on what has been happening in the USA. For a day or two, I thought I could smell 2008.

May it be easy, my friends.

Marnie

Email: towntalk@sheppnews.com.au

Letter: Town Talk. Shepparton News. P.O. Box 204. Shepparton 3631.

Phone: Send a text on 0418 962 507. (Note: text only. I will call you back, if you wish.)