“I walked into Minott’s expecting to be a driver,” said John Sundling about applying for a job at the flower shop. “They moved me into a front of the house type of position, answering phones and taking orders.”
Sundling found he had a knack for communicating with customers, and he used his design background to learn how to make arrangements. He now is manager and floral designer at the store at 145 Free St. in Portland. “I love working with my hands in a creative environment,” he said, “and I work with a great group of people.”
Sundling sang along to background music with his colleagues Friday as they all designed floral arrangements for a steady stream of customers looking for something special for loved ones on Valentine’s Day. Flower stems covered the floor along with petals and pieces of paper.
The flower shop is always busy on the holidays, but the busiest time is Valentine’s Day and the shop was staying open through Sunday this year. Sundling said they do over a month’s worth of business just for that day.
The only drawback to his job, he said, is dealing with people after an unexpected downturn in their lives. “It is almost like confession sometimes,” Sundling said. “A lot of people overshare, and it can be very emotionally draining.”
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