Evans Flowers owner Sandra Wink works on an arrangement. Nathan Taylor/OrilliaMatters To thrive as a small business in a small city, being an all-seasons operation helps. That’s the case with Evans Flowers, which has a product for all occasions. For 60 years, the Orillia shop has provided a splash of colour to help customers mark various moments — the joy of childbirth, the pride of graduation, the celebration of marriage, the grieving of death. “I’m very fortunate that people trust us with that,” said Sandra Wink, who owns the shop at the corner of West Street and Coldwater Road. Sandra took over the business from her parents, Jerry and Marian Wink, who purchased it from original owners Fred and Pat Evans in 1973. Jerry was a district human resources manager for Dominion Stores in Toronto when he and Marian decided it was time for a change. “We wanted to be in business for ourselves rather than for someone else,” Jerry said. With his business background and Marian’s floral experience, they figured it was a sound investment. “Also, we were looking for a smaller community,” Marian said. “We had two children and we wanted to settle down.” Decades later, Evans Flowers remains a go-to spot for many in the area. Jerry and Marian became involved in the community when they moved here, and those connections helped the business. “Community has a lot to do with it,” Marian said. Passion does, too, and that’s what Sandra brings to the table. While in high school, she attended summer courses offered by Flowers Canada. She continued working as a florist while attending university in Ottawa. When she moved back to Orillia in the mid-’90s, she was excited to get to work at her parents’ shop. It’s a job she enjoys now as much […]
Click here to view original web page at www.orilliamatters.com
