Florist Amerique Ashear of Lakewood is happy to share his tips

Photos: Langsam photography

How to keep your flowers fresh for a three-day Yom Tov? What are the best buys, and which bouquets last longest? Amerique Ashear of Lakewood is happy to share his tips. He’s always had a green thumb, and when he decided to turn his hobby into a side business, his grateful customers could stop and smell the roses too

As a youngster, florist Amerique Ashear would dabble in his Deal, New Jersey, home garden, eventually developing a love for the great outdoors. That passion, coupled with an attentive eye for detail and display, was a boon for his wife, with stunning floral arrangements gracing their Shabbos table weekly. After a decade-and-a-half in kollel, a neighbor in Lakewood, where he lives now, suggested Amerique turn his hobby into a profitable side business. Amerique sensed an opportunity, so he started selling bouquets out of his dining room. That enterprise eventually blossomed into The Floral Bar, with a workshop in Lakewood and a storefront in Deal providing full-service floral arrangements for weddings, bar mitzvahs, and events.

Amerique fills Mishpacha in on secrets of the trade: how to keep flowers fresh over a three-day Yom Tov, what’s best suited for a client with allergies, and which bouquet to buy your wife, even if you’re ordering it all the way from Kerestir, Hungary.

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starting the business

I grew up in a home that was into gardening and anything outdoorsy, and I’ve always had a knack for design. I maintain an extensive home garden that includes two oversized palm trees gracing the end of the driveway, obviously a rarity here in Lakewood. When I began ordering flowers wholesale, I stored them in my home —  we made sure to keep our thermostat at a very low temperature to keep the flowers fresh. Over time we expanded, and I took out a storefront in Deal and a workshop in Lakewood, where I base myself to create arrangements.

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what I need from you when you place an order

Most people call with a price point and color scheme. If they don’t say anything more specific than that, I’ll ask: Is it for a tablescape or a standalone bouquet? Do you want high or low? What’s the occasion? If the customer doesn’t request a specific color, I’ll go neutral so everyone is happy. If a husband is sending something to his wife, I’ll do pink and white, with bold colors only upon request.