Daily Inspiration: Meet Chris Falk

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Falk.

Hi Chris, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I bought Anthony’s Flowers and took over on 9/10/19 after a career in ag in WA State. I wanted my own thing after grinding for 22+ years of doing sales in a very intense industry. I figured that flowers are not an item one has to sell or push on customers as most are happy to make their purchase. The business had already been in existence for 60+ years when I took over and in its current location for 30 years. I am the 4th owner of the shop. The couple I bought the business from wanted to retire and were not putting much energy or investment into the business so while it was doing fine, it needed a bunch of TLC including a remodel and some fresh marketing efforts. Unfortunately, I got more than I bargained for as Covid hit 6 months later and we were forced to shut down for almost 2 months on 3/20/20. We gave away the remaining flowers in the cooler, turned out the lights and went home. I wasn’t sure if the business would survive during the shutdown since nobody really knew what would happen. We re-opened Mother’s Day weekend of 2020 (the city allowed florists to open Friday of that weekend but we’d started gearing up 5 days earlier as it would’ve been very difficult to make it if we missed Mom’s Day sales). Fortunately, most of the staff returned to work and we were able to do semi-regular business again. Regardless, we continued to feel the effects of the pandemic for at least another year as events were all but non-existent. On the flip side, a lot of people were at home, not traveling etc so a lot of customers wanted flowers to cheer up themselves or friends and family. Sadly, there were a lot of condolence flowers ordered during that time as well.

We’re fortunate that we’re well known in this part of town due to the longevity of the business. We have customers who’ve purchased here for 30+ years. We have a great team of people who care about the product and service we provide which makes my job as the owner much easier. The business is always changing whether it’s trends in design or new varieties of flowers that being grown around the world. Fortunately, while people can order flowers from an online only business (such as teleflora or 1-800-flowers), most people want to know their arrangements were hand prepared and delivered within hours to their home or business. Many customers also want to come into the shop and pick out their flowers. We shop at the LA flower market every week as well to ensure we get the best quality possible.

The Palisades fire started the year off in a way I never imagined possible. We were closed for a week as power was turned off in all of Brentwood and the vast majority of our customers were in evacuation zones anyway. We previously delivered flowers daily to customers in Palisades and for now most of that business is gone or on hold until more of the community is rebuilt. Thankfully, unlike many in Palisades and Altadena, my business did not burn to the ground.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Covid 7 week shutdown and after effects. Pali Fire, tight labor market at times and fewer people choosing to be flower designers (being a designer is similar to deciding to be a chef; particular set of skills). Inflation, tariffs in ’25 (majority of flowers 9+ months/yr and all vases are imported), cost of living in LA that limits employee pool, etc.

very little has been what I would call “smooth” for almost 6 years. Flower shops are more similar to a restaurant than I ever imagined. We carry 100+ ingredients, most are perishable, designers are like chefs as mentioned above, etc etc. LOTS of moving parts every day.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
This is from Brandon Jeon, our lead designer:

I love being a flower designer because it lets me turn nature into art. Every bouquet, every arrangement, is unique. There’s something magical about transforming blossoms into something that sparks joy, comfort, or even remembrance in someone’s life. I go to the flower market in DTLA at least once per week and get a lot of satisfaction from hand selecting the flowers we’ll offer that week.

I also get to keep learning about seasons, symbolism, and how a single stem can shift the mood of an entire space. What sets us apart from others is our dedication to making sure the customer is happy and our attention to detail. We are constantly evolving and working to keep up with design trends.

One of the best parts of the role is watching someone’s eyes light up when they see what I’ve created. That moment of connection is very gratifying. It keeps my creativity blooming.

How do you think about happiness?
Taking care of my staff and hearing from happy customers. I recall reading a quote from Howard Schultz (Starbucks founder) many years ago that said, If a business doesn’t exceed its employees’ expectations, how can the owner expect them to exceed those of the customer? I am far from perfect, but I work hard to ensure my staff feel heard and appreciated.

Pricing:

• minimum order for delivery $75 (before tax and delivery charge)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://anthonysflowers.com
• Instagram: @anthonysflowers
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/anthonys-flowers-los-angeles-3?osq=Anthony%E2%80%99s+Flowers