It’s the city, and not everyone sees it the same way. For some it’s a place to get ahead, to make the connections that will move them forward in their career and their life. Others come here to have fun, and meet people, or find new places to explore and spend their time. Still others would rather avoid city life altogether, more interested in what comforts these streets and towers can’t bring us: fresh air, and the sound it makes between the leaves, or the scents it carries along with it.
All these people are hoping to get something different out of the city, but in First Canadian Place, one unique location may have found something that they can all agree on. That’s because at Pistil Flowers, bouquets and arrangements aren’t just for decoration. For this talented team, flowers are here to add some comfort to a corporate environment, or bring a smile to a friend's face, or welcome some much needed natural beauty into our urban lifestyles.
But just because Pistil Flowers gives us a chance to take a break from the steel and concrete of days downtown, doesn’t mean they aren’t informed, even inspired by the city. In fact, Pistil would never have come about if not for the desire to develop a more sophisticated, urban style, one that's brought new life to this one-of-a-kind location. Growing out of a previous flower shop, whose rustic atmosphere felt at odds with the hustle and bustle of the concourse, Pistil and its innovative team have developed a keen connection to life on the PATH, one that’s a perfect match for their sleek new aesthetic.
And people are taking notice. It’s been hard not to. Pistil's stylish, open-concept location, and broad window displays can’t help but invite the crowds in for a break from their hurried lunch hours and commutes. Yvonne, the store’s owner, even jokes about all these suit-clad visitors hoping to sneak a peak, telling me that they “get a lot of nose prints on the glass from people walking by over the weekend." Boasting such an accessible, eye-catching location, and services like same-day delivery to anywhere in the PATH, it’s no wonder that Pistil Flowers has become the go-to location for not just corporate decor, but weddings, get togethers, and all the usual occasions that see us sprucing up our spaces.
Though their convenient location in First Canadian Place never fails to draw in scores of new customers, Yvonne maintains that for her and her team, there's still nothing more rewarding than seeing appreciation on the face of a customer they've really gotten to know personally. For Pistil, being able to develop a relationship with their customer isn't just a way to do business, it's a way to make a difference, to make their mark. And a way to have fun. "Certain people feel comfortable just telling us 'Do what you think looks fabulous'" Yvonne explains, and for the creative team at Pistil, this is a welcome opportunity to try something new and explore their creativity.
But it's more than that too. Because these arrangements aren't just nice to look at, they're meant to do more than sit on the desk or kitchen table of another faceless customer. They're for a person, an individual. One who is trying to make a home of their office, or brighten a friend's afternoon, or spend their days looking at something more than glass and stone and steel. And so it makes sense for Pistil to want to get to know their clients, to learn about their lives on and off of the PATH, about what they're planning to do with their flowers, and why it is that they want to bring this thing of beauty into their lives in the first place. Because how else could a flower shop make such a mark on people that spend their days navigating the impersonal world of trains and corridors and subways? How else could something as simple as a bundle of flowers come to feel so unique and soulful?
Well, they have made a mark. And, though it might not be as nice to look at, I don't think it'll be long before I'm leaving a mark of my own, one that also serves as proof that Pistil Flowers has really been doing something right down here in the underground. Hopefully whoever has to wipe my expressions from the store's windows doesn't mind.
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This is a great little shop with friendly service and really great flower arrangements. I just love it!