It’s Independent Business Day next Monday, so in honour of all the brilliant local businesses in East Lancashire, we’re spotlighting readers’ favourites and speaking to owners.
Independents’ Day UK is a campaign that exists to support and promote independent retail businesses across the UK all year round.
It has an annual focus around July 4, and this year Saturday, July 2, and Sunday 3 are marking Independents Weekend, with a week of build up through this week.
Last week we asked readers to tell us their favourite independent businesses, and one name that kept cropping up was Le Rainflorist.
Le Rainflorist is a dazzling and colourful florist located in Holme Street, Blackburn Market, where the owner Lorraine Johnson, 43, of Oswaldtwistle provides customers with beautiful bouquets of flowers, arrangements and plants.
Since being at school, Lorraine has always had a love for floristry and 11 years ago her passion for the craft flourished into a reality when she applied to become the owner and has since run a successful business within the local Blackburn community.
Despite the pandemic causing problems for independent businesses, Le Rainflorist started thriving again once places were able to open back up again.
Lorraine said: “Covid changed the way that we traded for a while but every time we opened, we were always really busy again.
“We have some really lovely regulars that come every week. I have one old lady that comes to me every single week since I’ve been open without fail and she’s absolutely amazing.”
Whilst you’d expect shoppers to only visit a florist when they’re in need of their next flower purchase, Lorraine shared that her customers regularly stop by just for a chat and to say hello.
She added: “It’s a really social place for a lot of people because we know them and we’re friends because they’ve come here for years.”
Lorraine’s 23 year old daughter came and did a florist qualification with her mum and occasionally helps on busy times of the year like Mother’s Day but it’s mainly Lorraine looking after the stall.
Even during the quick five minutes spent speaking to Lorraine, it’s clear just how popular the business is as customers came up to the owner three different times showing an interest in making a purchase and it’s no surprise why.
An array of vivid and cheerful bouquets delicately arranged was on display, along with fairly priced deals brightening the aisles of the market.
After helping her customers, Lorraine shared that there’s a wonderful sense of camaraderie between the other stalls and workers in the market.
Lorraine said: “Everybody’s friends, we’ve all traded together for a really long time so it’s lovely.
"You are an independent business but you’re also not because everybody supports each other, so it is really, really a supportive place to work.
“We know everybody, we’ve worked together for over ten years and everybody’s lovely so I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
Le Rainflorist sees a diverse bunch of shoppers from all ages and cultures, ranging from new to regular customers and is welcoming to anyone looking for the perfect special occasion or ‘just because’ gift.
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