The Sunshine Shop has consistently been voted the best florist in Eastern CT, and I agree. Having lived in Killingly almost the entirety of my life and worked here before, here's my "insider" take on that rating.
When I was a child, my dad used to come to The Sunshine Shop to pick up flowers for my mom for Mother's Day, their anniversary, etc. My brothers and I would come inside with him, and he'd let us each pick out a specific flower for her bouquet. I remember that fondly.
As time passed and I grew older, I eventually developed an interest in plants and spent about a year working for The Sunshine Shop while in high school. At the time, Betty and Gene were the owners, and they welcomed me with open arms when I brought in a resume. I would stop by after school and work for a few hours, and sometimes I would come in on Saturday mornings, too. I learned a lot about floral design there: the names of certain flowers that I wasn't acquainted with, how to keep Gerbera daisies from nodding over in an arrangement, how Teleflora works, how to force sunflowers to open, how to arrange for weddings... Now, I "do flowers" for my friends' weddings.
Eventually, Betty and Gene sold the shop to its new owners, and I'm enheartened to see that little has changed. The hospitality is the same, the little bell that rings when you walk in is the same, the "free rose" sign is the same, and even the staff are largely the same. And that's a beautiful thing, because some of the qualities that make The Sunshine Shop great have "been around" for the entirety of my life. If you're considering going there for something as small as a single flower or something as large as wedding flowers, here are some things to consider:
The staff: The staff are experienced, knowledgeable, and friendly. Some of them work at The Sunshine Shop on a part-time basis and are affiliated with other businesses, like Logee's. So when you go to The Sunshine Shop, you can be confident that you'll meet knowledgeable people who know exactly what they're doing. And better yet, they recognize frequent patrons by name when they come in.
The flowers: The quality and variety of flowers at The Sunshine Shop is excellent, and if you request specific flowers for a wedding, they can be ordered for you. The shop uses specific routines for flower prep to ensure that they last as long as possible. Sam (the head designer) has even gone to great lengths to acquire fresh-cut flowers from local farms before.
The arrangements: I have seen many a bad flower arrangement in my day. (I also made many bad flower arrangements...) The Sunshine Shop does not make bad arrangements. Everything is beautiful and consistent - and that consistency is key in good business. I remember Sam once telling me years ago that "every flower has a face" and learning how that principle was applicable to good design. My abilities improved pretty quickly after that!
The pricing: Given my points about quality, skill, and consistency, everything you get there will be worth its price. Flowers are expensive, so you should go to a place where the price is worth paying.
If you're considering visiting The Sunshine Shop, hopefully this review is helpful for you. Everything I've said has remained the same for at least two decades. The Sunshine Shop is a genuine cornerstone of our community, and I hope it will be for...
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