Philip O. Canuto, manager and floral designer at Island Florals and Gifts located across from the Saipan Grand Hotel in Susupe, starts his workday at 8 a.m., cleaning the shop and checking that everything is prepared for a day’s business.
Step inside Island Florals & Gifts and you will be met with the fresh scent of roses, tulips, baby’s breath, and a hundred other flowers. Look around and you find yourself amid all sorts of gifts and treats you can send to your friends, families, and loved-ones.
Island Florals and Gifts supplies fresh flowers from Equador and Holland for any occasion or no-occasion occasions, Canuto said.
Available are exquisite floral arrangements for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, congratulatory bouquets, floral arrangements for the arrival of a new baby, for christenings, for love and romance, for get-well wishes, sympathy and funeral, to say I’m sorry, thank you and a hundred and one other reasons to send flowers.
Floral arrangements can be customized to suit the personal taste of the clients, Canuto said.
“My edge against others who are in the floral business is that I get my flowers straight from the farms of my sources, so I can make my prices really affordable without sacrificing the quality of the products,” Canuto said.
He started working as a floral arranger when he first came to Saipan with just very little knowledge but more guts.
Having worked for an accounting firm in the Philippines, entering the flower shop business was an entirely different endeavor, but one which Canuto jumped into enthusiastically.
He started Island Florals & Gifts in May 2002, working singlehandedly at first but was able to hire two more floral arrangers within three months.
“The economy on Saipan was not that bad yet, and business was brisk,” Canuto said.
He ventured into the construction industry in 2006 — and failed. Island Florals & Gifts funded, but Canuto got up and is now successfully recovering from that “misadventure.”
Island Florals & Gifts is not just providing flowers and floral arrangements for all occasions but the store comes complete with souvenir items and giveaways. As one of the island’s popular wedding and events planner, Canuto offers different completely hassle-free packages for weddings and other events.
“Just come to us and we will take care of every little detail that will make your event as memorable as you want it to be,” Canuto said.
For weddings, Canuto supplies gowns and clothes for the whole wedding entourage and offers packages which include floral arrangements from the church, the reception area, the bridal bouquet, and flowers for the entourage. Canuto organizes an average of two to four weddings a month in addition to christenings, birthdays, anniversaries all the other special occasions. During peak seasons such as Valentine’s, mother’s day and Christmas, he hires additional staffers to fill in all orders.
“Island Florals & Gifts prides itself on the quality of customer service that we provide so that our clients keep coming back to us,” Canuto said.
Off-island clients who want to surprise their loved-ones here can simply visit www.islandfloralsandgifts.com to place orders and have it delivered right to your loved-one’s door whenever you want it.
For inquiries, orders and reservations, call 235-2230, fax no. 235-2231, or email [email protected].
