Denville florist 'flower-bombing' residents in-person and on Facebook
DENVILLE - Photo-bombing is all the rage on the Internet, but one Denville business is taking a more friendly and fragrant approach to the idea.
It's called flower-bombing, and it could happen to you.
It happened earlier this month to Stephanie Meehan. Taking a break from her job at Smart World Coffee, she was walking down Broadway on March 8 when Todd Johnson of Flowers by Candle-Lite sidled up the sidewalk and presented her with a small basket of tastefully-arranged flowers.
"So now you've been flower-bombed," Johnson told the smiling Meehan.
"I've heard of flower-bombings," she said. "It's actually a nice surprise. Definitely adds to your day."
Flower-bombing, which began about four years ago, is one of several successful promotions engineered by Johnson, the second-generation owner of the popular family business on Route 53 near Foodtown. Since then, he has made even more friends, not to mention new customers, with creative attempts to engage the public through social media.
The flower bombs have proven to be a delight for both Johnson and his targets. The concept is both simple and inexpensive for a flower shop — Johnson periodically sends a delivery person out with an arrangement and marching orders to select a person in town at random and give them the basket, complete with a card reading "You've been flower-bombed."
"I didn't know if it would work, or what kind of reaction we would get, but from Day 1, the very first time we did it, I can't even tell you how amazing it has been," Johnson said.
Sometimes, these strategically random acts of kindness can really turn a bad day around for some people.
"There's been quite a few stories. Two years ago on 9/11 was by far the most amazing," Johnson recalled. "There was a lady sitting in Mara's (Cafe and Bakery, on Main Street) all by herself, and the driver flower-bomber her. She just cried and hugged him. Turns out she lost her husband on 9/11, and she said 'You don't know how good this made me feel.' "
Johnson, though, has been delighting even more residents and potential customers in recent months through a social-media campaign that started on a whim and has since turned into a hotly-anticipated contest playing out on the "Denville Residents" Facebook group page.
"The game night started when one of the guys went in the back and grabbed a giant bouquet of roses," Johnson said. "He walked out and it was huge. I said 'That looks like a picture,' and just for the heck of it, I put it in the Denville Residents page and I said, "Guess how many roses Jared is holding. Guess correctly and we will give you two dozen roses. And the second I posted it, my phone just blew up."
The response begged a second contest, then another, until it became a regular Tuesday night event generating more then 600 responses on a good week.
"I kind of knew I was onto something, but I wasn't necessarily looking to advertise," he said. "It was just a fun thing. And then some of the (other Denville businesses) started coming after me, offering gift certificates and other prizes, and had me make it part of the game. Could be a restaurant, or a bar, and the secondary prize would be a bouquet of flowers. And it just escalated from there."
His most recent challenge asked people to guess the number of books displayed at Thatcher McGhee's. Starting at 8:45 p.m. and finishing an hour later, the post drew 417 responses for a grand prize of a night of food and drink at the popular Irish-themed downtown nightspot.
No one guessed the exact amount, but the first to post the closest guess, Joan Vehslage, was declared the winner. Rebecca Romanowsky was selected at random for the second prize of a dozen green roses.
Along the way, Johnson jokes and prods the posters, even adding comic memes to the string. Some respond with their own jokes, photos and memes.
"Tuesday nights are now my game night," he said. "I try to get involved, If people comment or are just being silly with me, I always try to interact with them, which for me makes it so much fun."
Another recent promotion asked the growing list of followers to guess how much of the massive seasonal inventory of First Communion dresses at Faith and Begorra, an Irish- and Catholic-themed retail store on Broadway, was still in stock. The answer: 537, down from the original 1,000, which is a completely different story.
RELATED STORY:
One shop, 1,000 dresses
"In the case of St. Patrick's Day, I was trying to build around the theme," Johnson said. "Susan (Banks, owner operator of Faith & Begorra) had mentioned to us about doing something in March, and I loved the idea. I think we ended up with over 600 comments, which was one of the most."
Banks, in turn, provided prizes and also displays arrangements from Flowers by Candle-Lite in her shop.
"Todd makes these amazing arrangements and I bring them in about twice a week," said Banks, who also actively markets her business on social media. "People come in, see them, and go to him. So it works both ways."
Johnson said he has been posting on Facebook from his shop for about five years,
"But only recently on a regular basis," he said. "I try to post something at least every other day."
The result has helped his family business, launched by his father, George, in 1968, not only weather the economic crisis, but grow.
"We have seen a lot of new faces. and a lot of younger faces," he said. "It is working."
Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@GannettNJ.com.