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This month, Bagoy's will celebrate 85 years of providing flowers for beauty, for gifts, for romance, for celebration and for sympathy.
Current owners, Chanda Mines, and her husband, Randy, have been managing the store since 1992. Previously, the store was owned by Chanda's parents, Carol and Paul Humphrey, who purchased Bagoy's in 1980.
A family owned business, Bagoy's has been owned by a number of families. The original family started the business in Anchorage in 1922. In fact, the business literally originated in the Bagoy's home.
John Bagoy Sr. and wife, Mary, sold flowers out of their greenhouse in 1922. Soon they started shipping in potting plants from Seattle. In 1940, they joined FTD and began shipping in flowers from Seattle. Their daughter, Mary, and her husband, Otto, became involved in the business after John Bagoy died in 1939.
Mary went to floral school and hired a designer. By 1952, Mary and Otto owned the business. They moved the business out of the home to a business with four full-time and two part-time designers. Because the building was hit by the earthquake, by 1966 the floral shop was built at 6th Avenue and A Street.
The business was sold to Felix Gay and his wife, Jennie, in 1969 because Mary's health was not good. In 1976, the Gays expanded to a second store on Fireweed & C Street. The staff doubled and the present Dimond/New Seward location was built in 1982 as the headquarters.
At one time, Bagoy's also expanded to an Eagle River store, which was later sold.
Currently, Bagoy's has three locations in the Anchorage area: one at Dimond Boulevard, 8250 Homer Drive, with the design team; one downtown on 737 W. 5th Avenue at 5th Avenue and H Street that focuses on gifts; and one midtown, at 440 E. Benson Boulevard, as a home store that features furniture. Many years earlier, the downtown store used to be a Christmas store and sold the majority of artificial tree sales in Anchorage. Due to the popularity of the stores, some customers shop at all three stores.
If you want flowers delivered internationally, Bagoy's is ready to go. Even to Zimbabwe or Mozambique. In fact, because Alaskans have such a diversified population, Bagoy's ranks in the top 1 percent in the country as a sending florist. Their top rank indicates their customers' trust in their quality, service and selection.
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Bagoy's employs 23 people with its seasonal work, part-time workers and one intern.
December is the busiest month of the year, but Valentine's Day and Mother's Day are close contenders. On Valentine's Day, Bagoy's often runs 1,000 deliveries to customers, versus an average day of 65. Summer is kind of a lull time, except for the flurry of summer weddings. But Chanda says it is never really slow.
Bagoy's provides sophisticated, quality service for customers who are looking for multiple party work (several parties in a single day for a business or individual). Or for something as simple as providing bouquets or corsages for an event.
The Web page offers a selection of flower arrangements for every occasion--a birthday, an anniversary, a reception, graduation or another special occasion.
The store prepares ensembles and wreaths, too. If you can't make up your mind, just look at their best sellers. Flower arrangement prices vary; you could spend $20 for a cute desk-sized arrangement to $600 for a beautiful casket spray.
Chanda attends annual conferences and reads trade magazines to keep in touch with the leading edge in the market, feeling the constant need to change, evaluate and improve their system and service. She constantly works to make every detail just right, and feels rewarded when she has touched someone, whether that is someone who is grieving or a nervous teenager ordering flowers for the prom, she said.
It's a romantic business when Valentine's Day rolls around or when soldiers order flowers online for loved ones back home.
It's a business that transforms into Christmas every other week, says Chanda of her work. "We get fresh flowers in daily and new merchandise shipments every 10 to 15 days and are constantly changing our decor to coordinate with seasons and trends."
It's a business that is fast-paced on busy days, a business that requires the creativity of the design team, the flexibility of extra staff set in place, and a manager who is on top of the latest fashion, which might be leopard prints or a bright orange vase.
The stores present weekly walk-in specials too.
Some big functions, like the Governor's Ball, that took place simultaneously in two venues, with overhead centerpieces and elaborate stage work, take careful planning and a team of talent.
Chanda's advice: In order to be successful in this business, the employees need to have a passion for flowers or a passion for helping people. Fore more information, call Bagoy's at 1-800-4788787 or check out its Web site at www.bagoys.com.
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