Hi i am new to this site and think its great. I'll be as brief as I can ...
I have been a florist for 16 years so have pots of experience and enthusiam, and the shop in which I trained all those moons ago is now available to buy.
The shop in question is being sold due to a pending retirement and the shop really has been run down....not much selection of flowers,shuts whenever she feels like it, doesn't like weddings etc. The takings reflect this and by her own admission most of the takings are from interflora. The shop has the front door shut at all times and NOTHING at all out the front, so by now your getting the picture !
They only take £106k which in my experience is pretty low after all the outgoings if I want a decent standard of living .
I am currently working full time for a boss who is pretty similar and we have gone from 4 full timers and 2 part timers to just 2 f/t 2 p/t. My current boss is running the business into the ground by doing pretty much the same,buying cheap naff flowers etc.He has totally lost interest but says can't sell as who wants a declining business.He is blaming on recession.
My dilema is wether to buy the 1st shop . I love it and believe I could bring it back to life but I am constantly being told by said boss and any wholesalers who call that the trade is on its knees and everybody is laying florists off and really struggleing. I seem to be surrounded by gloom and doom and everyone is talking about "credit crunches" and supermarkets killing our trade. I am not stupid enough to argue with the latter , but surely we can concentrate on weddings and funerals and add on gifts and good old fashioned local customer service ?
Or do I have my head in the land of hope and lalas ? Please any shop owners advise on my dilema !! Is everyone struggleing and would it be madness to take on a run down business in the hope of bringing it back to life. I would have to get a loan to finance the purchase which is why I am in two minds as to what to do.

Also any advise from florists who have done the same would be greatly recieved. .. ie is it harder to win back customers from a bad shop than it is to start from scratch ?
I have the passion but am I CRAAAAZZZYYYY ???? please advise !
JEN xx