Christoffer - the florist who might end up a truck driver

Christoffer Broman

Age: 45

Family: Mother, brother and husband Bedros, a baker

Lives: Stockholm, Sweden

Does: Founder of the flower shop Christoffers Blommor

Meeting Christoffer

I meet up with Christoffer on a gloomy morning by his main flower shop. It’s early November and the calm before the storm. Christoffer is pacing back and forth in the alley making sure things are set before opening. He smiles and asks me if I care for a coffee. As we are shooting outside the store, Christoffer exchanges small talk with customers and locals on their way to work or on their morning stroll. It strikes me how content everyone seems, when chatting to the energetic Christoffer who is busy making the alley flourish with plants and flowers.

We take a break and sit down for a chat in the kitchenette. Christoffer answers my questions pretty straight-forward and direct. Short answers but still thought-through.

“I grew up in Sätra, a suburb in south-west Stockholm, Sweden. At the age of 16, I moved into downtown Stockholm. My older brother wanted to keep me off the streets so he made sure I could work alongside him, selling flowers at Hötorget, a casual trading area. That’s where it all started.”

The shop

After eight years of selling flowers at the square, Christopher took over the 17-square-meter flower shop in Old Town in 2001. At the time, there was no toilet or hot water and Christoffer had to take a loan to afford the rent. “It was a proper gamble,” he says, “having no former experience in starting and running a company.” Now he’s running two flower shops in Stockholm, the second one in Södermalm close to Nytorget.

A year ago they had the opportunity to expand the Old Town shop into an empty shop area across the alley, adding an extra “70 square meters” to the shop’s floor space.

A regular work day for Christoffer starts at six in the morning, chasing down the best possible cut flowers and plants at Partihallarna, a local wholesale merchant. “This is when the killer instinct kicks in as I become fully present and determined to find the best possible supplies.” Back at the store, it’s all about arranging the new flowers and plants, cleaning up pots and vases and making sure the shop is stunningly-looking in time for opening. At around one in the afternoon, it gets busier, he says.

Christoffer in his main flower shop at Kåkbrinken, Old Town.

So who is Christoffer?

“Well, my partner thinks I’m a bit “all over the place”. I don’t like to plan ahead. I’m not very organised but I’m always making sure things are moving forward. A typical Virgo. Restless, doesn’t sleep much. Dad passed away when I was 12, part of the restlessness might come from that.”

Why a florist?

“Arranging flowers is like creating a fairy tale. You build layers - adding a third dimension, which eventually turns into a captivatingly complete form. Almost like a doll house.” I’ve always liked color and working with my hands, he says.

Is there any way you can recognise a florist?

-The only visible giveaway is a soily thumb. On the other hand, you can always tell by the language whether you’re dealing with florist customers.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

“I don’t schedule my inspiration-gathering in any way. Mornings - especially moody ones - tend to kick my inspiration off. Naturally, I get inspiration from the internet but honestly, everywhere around me. Travels always help too. I like visiting small cities where shop owners have to work hard to make a living. I like America. I don’t necessarily agree with all their values or way of living but Texas, for instance, feels very non-fake. Real guns, no façades”.

How do you make it in the industry?

“Well, sustainability as a mindset is key and I don’t think you necessarily need to be trendy all the time. If you’re too tuned in on what’s hot and what’s not, you become a follower. Sometimes, you just have to break new ground. It’s important to have good-quality flowers and plants, make sure you’re staying passionate about what you do, stand behind what you’re selling and always treat your employees nicely. I wouldn’t say the job is a lifestyle but my mind is spinning all the time, and the co-workers and I often text each other about new ideas for the shop.”

The Instagram account @christoffersblommor has been a great tool for getting noticed by a wider audience.

What is the best and least good thing about the industry?

“The best thing is that you get to work with colors, scents and something “real and physical”. Obviously, the not-so-enjoyable things are the early mornings, the many hours, and not being able to work remotely.”

What would you do if you weren’t a florist?

“I would always be a florist. No actually, I would probably work on board a train. Or as a truck driver. I love trucks. Or at a hotel; no matter what small town you go to, the city hotel will always be lit and there is always someone to spark a conversation with there. There’s something very comforting about that fact.”

Which flower or plant would you never imagine becoming trendy again?

“Dried flowers. Now I’m kind of over them though. In six months, the recycling facilities must be packed with them. But there’s not really any type of flower I can’t get along with. Orchids I have come to love. They’re coming more and more as cut flowers. Orchid-cut-flower bunches look like small ballerinas dancing.”

“Orchid-cut-flower bunches look like small ballerinas dancing.”

Regular Bouquet. Dahlia Apricot, Clematis, Great Masterwort, Amaranthus, Mimosa, Rosehip Corallo, Pistachio, Chestnut. — ***Regular Bouquet.*** Dahlia Apricot, Clematis, Great Masterwort, Amaranthus, Mimosa, Rosehip Corallo, Pistachio, Chestnut.

“Weekend bouquet”. Grevillea, Carnation, Anthurium, Cotinus, Helichrysum, eryngium (bleached), Echinacea — *“Weekend bouquet”*. Grevillea, Carnation, Anthurium, Cotinus, Helichrysum, eryngium (bleached), Echinacea

Is there a typical Christoffers blommor customer?

“I think so, yes. They are 25 to 35 years old, social, frequently visit restaurants and have each other over for dinner. They live downtown in or just outside the city. When they come to us, they are looking for something chic. We’re often using a lot of height and room in our bunches and we do not seldomly make solitaires.”

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

“I hang out with friends and family, chill out on the sofa, go out to eat, or go to concerts. Ordinary stuff. I also like having a hammer in my hand, looking after the countryside house.”

How do you manage to keep a work-life balance?

“I don’t have my work email on my phone. I try to be present but I’m always flower-Chris (“Blomster-coffe”). It doesn’t bother me much.”

How do you deal with stress?

“I get easily stressed out. My trick is to lock myself in the bathroom for a few minutes and afterwards, problems sound less serious. A bad review from a customer isn’t the end of the world.”

Do you have any role models?

“Passion-driven small businesses that work hard.“

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time, professionally and personally?

“I’m hoping I’m working less by then. I want to travel a bit and maybe move further away from the city. Maybe somewhere more rural, with a big yard and perhaps a greenhouse. The shop owner life I’d like to maintain in some form. Running a Bed & Breakfast would be cool since Bedros is a baker, but it would be challenging working with your husband.”