Petals Design and Living Gifts Sees Success in Chehalis

With high school prom season in full swing, Mother’s Day next weekend and summer venue schedules quickly filling up with weddings, Petals Design and Living Gifts is busy in its second year of business in Chehalis.

And Lynne Bashaw, owner of Petals, said the shop will soon be turning a profit. 

“We are well on our way,” Bashaw, 60, said.

Last year, Petals was booked for weddings every weekend except one from June to mid-November. 

“This year we’re on our way to doing that again,” Bashaw said. 

But Bashaw said the shop’s success isn’t all her doing. For the past year, she has had help from her part-time floral designer Kris Ritchey.

While it took time to become familiar with the clientele and determine which items sell well, Bashaw said Petals is starting to cross over into being out of debt and making a profit.

She said most people told her it would likely take three to five years.

“But I’ve busted my butt, and I’ve worked hard and it’s paying off,” she said.

Later this year, Bashaw plans to bring on more help. While it will cost more, she said it will allow her to do even more business.

When she first opened in downtown Chehalis in 2014, Bashaw said, she was nervous as the economy was just starting to come back after the Great Recession. 

“The first year I created quite a bit of loss, but I kept good notes and tried different things until I found exactly what seems to do well,” Bashaw said.

She said the other local businesses in downtown Chehalis have been supportive of her shop, whether it’s using her services or just encouraging her. 

The shop was also recently featured in South Sound Wedding & Event’s spring and summer 2016 issue, giving it a boost from brides.

Along with bouquets and corsages, Petals also has houseplants, candles, home decor and other items for sale. 

But Bashaw’s favorite thing to do at the shop is to have a cartload of flowers to choose from and create an arrangement in a fun container.

“One-of-a-kinds. I don’t like to just duplicate things,” Bashaw said.

Bashaw said while she uses some online flower ordering services, she advises customers to contact her directly for arrangements as the services take a large percentage of the sale.

“You’re going to get a lot more for your money, you’re going to get something super fresh and different,” Bashaw said.

Bashaw said her interest in floral design grew from her grandmother’s interest in flowers and plants. When Bashaw was working as a restaurant manager in Fairbanks, Alaska, she did some floral designs there. 

Just when Bashaw was looking to get out of the restaurant business, she was approached to manage the floral department at Safeway. 

She later moved to Seattle and worked as a floral manager and designer at Quality Food Center for 18 years. 

Then she moved to Onalaska, where she worked with landscapers as an independent garden designer for 10 years. 

In 2014, she decided to open her own flower shop in downtown Chehalis. 

Bashaw said she came up with the name Petals probably about 30 years ago when she was dreaming about opening a flower shop. However, because there are several flower shops throughout the U.S. called Petals, she had to lengthen the name a bit.

Bashaw said she doesn’t have retirement plans, but eventually wants to hand over or sell the business to someone she knows will provide the same level of service and quality products that Petals currently does.