Agnes Dockery, owner of Flowers by Ness in Hawthorne.
By Stephen Tool, Special to MCIN
Flowers by Ness is a possibility for local residents seeking Valentine’s Day gifts for a special someone.
The flower and gift shop is owned by its namesake, Agnes Dockery. The shop is located at 594 E St. in Hawthorne.
Dockery bought and renamed the store upon the previous owner’s retirement in December, 2005. To prepare herself for her new career, Dockery attended a floral design school in Seattle, Wash.
In addition to flowers, the shop also sells cards and other gifts. The store gets most of its fresh-cut flowers from a Reno outlet. Specialty flowers are ordered from various regions as economic considerations dictate.
Although most of her business is local, Dockery says she enjoys occasionally filling orders for locals serving overseas in the armed forces. “Some of them found me by just doing Internet searches for Hawthorne, Nevada, flower shop,” Dockery laughs.
Creating unique flower arrangements is a specialty of Dockery’s. Two of her favorite arrangements are a 3-D baseball and a Coke bottle. The shop’s Facebook page contains photos of both arrangements.
Dockery says she works to keep prices reasonable for local customers. “Many people, when they first come in here, tell me they’re surprised at my prices. They assumed since this is a specialty flower shop, my prices must be high, but that just isn’t so.”
Dockery wants local residents to know the truth about shopping online for flowers. She says many people don’t realize online flower retailers are what the floral industry calls “online gatherers.” The “gatherers” take orders online and pass the orders on to local flower shops, like Flowers by Ness, who actually fill the order.
“If people call me directly, they can get more personalized service,” she said. “After a conversation with a client, I can get them exactly what they want.”
Valentine’s Day is one of Dockery’s busiest times, and she offers roses in a variety of colors for customers desiring something outside the traditional red. Dockery urges customers to order early. “It’s getting busy now, but the last two days are really hectic,” she said.
Flowers by Ness is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. — 6 p.m. Dockery also opens the shop on weekends for special events or occasions.
Contact Flowers by Ness at the store’s location in Hawthorne, calling toll free at 888-945-2626, or online at Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Flowers-By-Ness/119303161434.
