Mother’s Day Grand Prize Winner is….!!!

Meet Joe Crouch

Joe has been working for Nanzk & Kraft Florist since 1948! He lives few minutes away from the store and comes in every day to check on the employes and has a cup of coffee with them!

Andrew Cederholm & Brittany Wiggington

Andrew and Pat

Green, Brown & Blue works!

Favorite Mom Contest

Louisville’s Favorite Mom Winners

2nd Place Winner:

View Moms and Vote  |  Contest Rules  |  Contest Home  |  And the Winner is…

Mom, Daughter and the road to the Met Submitted By: Alexandra S. Votes: 71 | Avg. Rating: 4.7

Mataji – The Great Mother Goddess Submitted By: Megan K. Votes: 61 | Avg. Rating: 4.7

Carol Downs – One of a Kind Submitted By: Diane P. Votes: 59 | Avg. Rating: 4.5

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Flowering Ownership

Friday, May 11, 2007

At Work

Flowering ownership: Brothers juggle priorities by taking flexible approach

Business First of Louisville – by Lucy M. Pritchett Business First Correspondent

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Photo by Ron Bath

Brothers David, Eddie and Michael Kraft, own and operate their family business, Nanz & Kraft Florists.

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If all it took was boundless energy to sell flowers, then the Kraft brothers would have a lock on the market.

The sixth generation to own Nanz & Kraft Florists, Eddie Kraft, Michael Kraft and David Kraft have been running the store for 10 years even though their father, E. Ramsey Kraft, officially retired in October 2006 after 40 years.

To sit in the room with the brothers and listen to how they run the business, solve problems, buy fresh flowers and home accessories, juggle deliveries and gear up for Mother’s Day and other holidays is a lesson straight out of an MBA business essentials course.

“Since we have been working in the company for 20 years, our individual areas of running the business have sorted themselves out,” said David Kraft, 36, the quiet one.

As vice president, he runs the company’s technology systems, Internet sales and phone-order departments.

Michael Kraft, 40, the jokester and middle brother, has the enviable task of ordering and buying fresh flowers from South America, Florida and California and plants from Canada.

Eddie Kraft, 42, is the gregarious one. “It’s my year to be president,” he said jokingly.

He buys giftware, vases, home accessories and permanent botanicals (silk flowers) and recently added the store’s new line of Vera Bradley merchandise.

Even as one is talking, the other two quietly discuss some point of business together or check figures on a computer.

Most topics of discussion come up during the mandatory weekly meeting attended by the brothers and a rotation of the business’ eight managers.

Eddie Kraft and Michael Kraft share a first-floor office, and David Kraft’s is just up a back staircase. They each work eight to 10 hours a day, five days a week.

But on holidays, that schedule goes out the window.

“Mother’s Day is our biggest weekend (Thursday through Sunday), Valentine’s Day is our biggest day, and Christmas is our biggest season,” said Eddie Kraft.

On Mother’s Day weekend, the brothers are very much hands on, arranging flowers, waiting on customers, taking phone calls and sorting out deliveries.

“On Saturday we go full tilt,” Eddie Kraft said. Last year, the business made more than 3,000 deliveries and had 1,000 customers come to the store.

Some lessons from the brothers:

“It is all about communication with each other,” Eddie Kraft said, citing e-mail and phones as prominent management tools.

“We all have our own ideas and opinions, but in the end the deciding factor is ‘What is best for the customer? ” said Michael Kraft.

David Kraft added, “And the staff is our prime contact with the customer. If the staff is not happy, it is going to show.”

I Live In Louisville

http://www.nanzkraft.com

Nanz & Kraft Florist

The Kraft brothers, (from left, Michael, David and Eddie) as the Kraft half of Nanz & Kraft are in the “gift-giving business”. Family-owned since 1850, Nanz & Kraft is known for their fresh floral arrangements, however, what many people don’t know is that you can decorate a home or office with lasting pieces of furniture, original sculpture, classic children’s toys and dozens of other nic nacs that just make a place nice.

Sound eclectic? Considering Eddie wanted to grow up and work for Jacques Cousteau, Michael wanted to be a sports announcer and David wanted to work on Wall Street; the three seem to have honed in on something that adds up to more than the sum of those parts: making people happy.

“Flowers are an emotional gift,” says Eddie, “and 98% of people remember the last time they were sent flowers. So, we try to keep flowers on people’s minds.” Nanz & Kraft are the only florists in town who buy directly from growers and they guarantee their product and delivery.

“But the gift-giving business has changed,” says Michael, “so now we offer cupcakes with flowers, baskets, home decorations and all the other stuff you see here.” And at this Saint Matthews location there is a lot to choose from.

The Kraft brothers learned the business from their father, Ramsey, who is now retired. However, the desire to make people happy hasn’t left the elder Kraft. He now volunteers at Kosair Children’s Hospital – as a clown.

Helping Hands

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