New goals in bloom

Andrew Edwards

After two decades in the flower business, the man behind the

Flowerman store decided it was time for a change.

In 1985, Joe Porto took over ownership of Flowerman, the Corona

del Mar flower shop his father started in the 1970s. Today, , the

Coast Highway shop is set to take on a new name with new owners.

Porto is leaving Flowerman to find new challenges and new goals,

he said. So far, he has not yet decided what he will do next except

to take it easy for a while, spending time with his wife, Patti, and

his daughter, Jennifer.

“I’m just going to enjoy summer,” said Porto.

Set to replace Flowerman is a new store dubbed KW Creative

Designs. Co-owner Robert Wood said he and business partner Mark

Kimmel plan to continue selling flowers at the shop, but will mix in

floral designs with jewelry.

Jewelry at the new store, Wood said, will be mostly custom-made

items. Wood currently works in a Laguna Beach jewelry store and

wanted the new store to find a home in an affluent area. Customers

from places like Corona del Mar are more likely to be regular

customers for jewelry, Wood said.

“You want to cater to those people because they want it all the

time,” Wood said.

Flowerman has humble origins. When Porto’s father, also named Joe

Porto, started the company, Flowerman was a “bucket stand” near Coast

Highway and Avocado Avenue, Porto said.

“We were working out of a canopy, some display steps and a van,”

Porto said.

Flowerman was not run out of a building until the early 1980s. The

shop moved to its current location near Jasmine Avenue in 1991.

Under Porto’s ownership, Flowerman grew from being simply a place

to buy cut flowers to a full-service florist. Porto recalled

expanding his company’s services as one of the most enjoyable

experiences at Flowerman.

“That’s been the most fun for me,” he said.

Before he owned Flowerman, Porto helped his father by driving to

Carlsbad to buy fresh-cut flowers, a task he continued after buying

the store. Outside of those trips south, Porto recalled having about

no experience in or knowledge of the flower business.

“It was a business opportunity, and I looked at it as a

challenge,” he said.

Looking back, Porto said he was proud to remember Flowerman as a

place where a customer could buy something small like a $20 bouquet

or a bigger $200 arrangement. He said he was also grateful to his

employees and repeat customers.

“I’ve had a lot of good years and a lot of good times,” Porto

said.

“It’s a fun business. You’re always making people happy,” he said.

* ANDREW EDWARDS covers business and the environment. He can be

reached at (714) 966-4624 or by e-mail at andrew.edwards

@latimes.com.