Pick Me Flowers takes root in blooming Molong

Well-established Orange Florist Pick Me Flowers and Gifts has expanded its operations, opening a second location in neighbouring Molong.

For owner Jane Hyde, the seed of the idea was planted when two customers told her they simply couldn’t get flowers in Molong and had to make the 70-kilometre round trip to Orange.

“Someone said to me that they couldn't get flowers here — not once, but twice in a very short period of time,” Jane said.

Leasing a Bank Street shopfront in September, Jane has been busy revamping the new Pick Me Flowers and Gifts location, expanding into the former rear residence and adding a wide variety of merchandise.

“Even though we are a florist, we are more than a florist; we have homewares, giftware, shoes, hats, scarves — all good quality stuff, really good footwear… It is evolving all the time,” Jane said, walking out the side of the store to a narrow porch packed with plants.

 “We sell lots of plants and potted colour, I do a courier run out of the markets and deliver to 20 other florists, so I have good contacts for getting quality plants,” she continued.

“And we've just put in a little coffee bar out the back.”

The idea is to bring in a range of good quality homewares, gifts and other products that have previously not been available to shoppers in Molong, Jane said.

“We look at ourselves as being more here for the community, rather than just tourists,” Jane said.

“So far we have had really good responses from everyone. Most people say, ‘thank you for coming here’, but we are just humbled to be here and have this nice shop.”

It was seeing the demand for fresh flowers that brought Jane to Molong, but since opening her business she said she sees that there are big things ahead for the town.

“Molong is changing, it is becoming a little bit more of a destination,” Jane said, listing several other new businesses that have opened in recent months.

“It is starting to evolve. We just saw it as an opportunity to expand the florist but we seem to be coming in at the right time before it becomes more of a destination.”

Next Thursday, November 17, Pick Me Flowers and Gifts Molong is having a “VIP day” to celebrate the launch of the new store

“Well the word is out that we are here, but we haven’t really advertised it,” Jane said. “So on Thursday the 17th of November we are going to have a pre-Christmas VIP day. “It's a chance to come in, say hello, get a bit of Christmas Shopping done and have a look at what we've got.”

There will be drinks and nibbles in the store and specials running throughout the day and into the evening.

“It will run from 9am and we are going to stay open late until 8pm — come in and have a look!”

Pick Me Flowers and Gifts Molong is located at 91 Bank Street and can be reached on 5339 4480.