TOWN OF FRIDAY HARBOR FIRE

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News about the Town of Friday Harbor

Burned-out floral shop sprouts in new spot

posted 06/19/02
San Juan Florist, razed in a fire last month, is blooming next to the its old home in Friday Harbor.

Julie Werling and her sister Lisa reopened their flower shop Saturday, June 15 in the Harbor View Building at the corner of First and East streets in the space previously occupied by Sweetbriar Gifts.

"I'm ready for a nap," Julie said toward the end of her first day filling orders and helping customers since a fire destroyed her floral shop and four other business May 9.

The new location contains the same type of merchandise found in the previous store, except in less quantities, Julie noted. Most customers wouldn't know there's less: The sisters filled loaned bookcases and other items with stuffed animals, baskets, vases, giant silk flowers and many more gifts. "We had a lot of stuff back-ordered," Julie said.

Vibrant cut flowers fill a wall. The flowers are kept fresh in two coolers provided by Friday Harbor Hardware until the florists can purchase new ones. The merchants are selling chocolate-chip cookies baked fresh in the shop to raise money for the new refrigerators. "It's great we have these two coolers but they're not big enough for all our flowers," Lisa said.

The sisters are happy to be filling orders that islanders have sent to loved ones across the country or the globe. "People depend on us," Julie said. "It's nice to be needed."

After several loyal customers came by to buy bouquets and extend well wishes, Julie said, "You're happy you live in a small town when something like this happens."

A grand opening is tentatively scheduled for July 1 on the store's third anniversary of the sisters purchasing the shop. They'll be joined in the celebration by former neighbor Stacy Brown. He is opening a smaller version of the Hungry Clam restaurant on a deck along East Street.

San Juan Florist is usually open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.

Florist shop will deliver

posted 05/11/02
Twenty-four hours after she saw her florist shop burn up, Julie Werling cried as she accepted delivery of dozens of donated flowers from mainland florists. Ace Hardware has loaned San Juan Florist Shop space to store the flowers and prepare Mothers' Day orders. Because the order forms were destroyed in the blaze, customers need to call 360.378.2477.

Keith Inness, owner of Keith and Martha's Garden in Burien, delivered the flowers Friday afternoon (May 10, 2002). His wife Martha will travel to Friday Harbor Saturday to help prepare the Mothers' Day orders. Seattle florist wholesaler Floral and Hardy, Donatello's of Anacortes, Evergreen Wholesale and Washington Floral all contributed flowers. "This is the sweetest thing," Werling said.