Crys Garner started working at Johnson’s House of Flowers 35 years ago. A legacy business, Johnson's House of Flowers had been open in Grand Junction for over 97 years. Crys started as a flower delivery driver but worked her way into being a florist. When Johnson’s House of Fowers closed the community was generous and many of the employees were quickly offered new jobs. Crys took a job at another florist shop in town. Shortly after, however, Crys started getting contacted by some of Johnson’s old customers, including a bride who had pre-paid for flowers with Johnson's before the closure. Generously the new employer allowed Crys to fill the order. After the wedding, Crys began receiving direct requests to personally create floral arrangements to send all over. There was even an order to send flowers to London, England!
It became clear to Crys that it wasn’t fair to her new employer to side hustle these orders and Crys decided to start out on her own. She acquired some of the old assets from Johnson’s and that helped her get set up. As all good business stories go, Crys started in her kitchen, but one day, she had the kitchen so full of flowers, decor, and other items that her husband couldn’t walk from one side to the other! Her husband helped her set up her own shop and even built her a cooler.
To this day, Crys is a one gal show. She takes the orders, makes the arrangements, and delivers. When asked what her favorite part of her business was, she replied with a smile, “I love seeing the reactions of people."
"One day, I knocked on the door of this old gentleman’s house and when I first saw him he looked as grumpy as could be. But then he noticed the flowers and his whole demeanor changed and he looked and sounded as though the world did a 180-degree turn”.
Crys' favorite flowers are Daisies because they are fun and happy. That description also fits Crys. Making connections is important to her, and it shows. She is a pleasure to talk with.
Visit flowerextraordinaire.com to view some of Crys' work and get in touch with this extraordinarily talented floral professional!
