About the Store

J. Kinney Florist has been serving Madison, WI for the past 25 years. In the summer of 2005 we moved from King Street to the bustling Monroe Street Shopping District. We pride ourselves in specializing in locally grown flowers, locally made merchandise, unique fresh flower arrangements, fair trade products, textiles, candles, and luxurious bath, body, and kitchen products all with an emphasis on botanical themes and cottage styles. We would love for you to stop by and see us. Our current 2010 hours are Monday through Friday 9-5, and Saturdays 10-5.

We joined Facebook! Follow us at J Kinney Florist

A Sample of our Products

We love to change our displays so that we can provide you with new and interesting products that we have found both far and near. Make sure you stop in frequently so that you don’t miss out on these great gifts!

This blog is dedicated to giving you a taste of our new and consistant products along with their stories. It is also here to keep you up to date on sales and what we’re up to, so check it frequently! 

      

Wedding Consultations

We like to think that a major part of planning a wedding is choosing the flowers.  With traditional weddings becoming a memory of the past, there are many options for a modern bride to consider.

When choosing a floral designer it is best to set up a consultation so that you can get to know and create a bond between the designer and yourself.  Here at J.Kinney our designer and owner Jane will discuss the vision for your wedding with you. We suggest meeting about 3-8 months before the big day.  A consultation will take between 15 and 30 minutes. We encourage you to bring clippings from bridal magazines of flowers, arrangements, or colours that you like.   

After the consultation we will send you a copy of your floral quote with a description and price of all the items we will create for your wedding.

Please give us a call at 608.255.7500 or e-mail us at info@jkinneyflorist.com to set up a consultation.

Many brides want to meet a year or more before their big day. To make the most of a full floral consultation it is best to know what colours you will like to use or at lease what colour your bridesmaid’s dresses will be. We also like to incorporate the style and feeling of the ceremony and reception location into the design. Therefore knowing the venue(s) is helpful as well. If you don’t know these things yet, that’s ok! We welcome you to visit our store and website to get a feel for our style and personality. You can also set up a meeting to get to know us, discuss ideas, and answer any of your questions. When you are ready for a full consultation we can meet with you again to discuss a finalized design plan and determine price.

We do not give price quotes via phone or e-mail without a consultation for two reasons:

1. An important part in creating the perfect floral arrangements for you and your wedding is to choose a designer that can represent your style. If you do not know the designer, the designer cannot create the right design for you.

2. Flowers come in all shades, shapes, and sizes. When a bride says she wants a pink rose bouquet we need to establish what type of  pink, what type of rose, and what size bouquet is most appropriate for you. These answers also determine the price. Establishing the answers for these questions is much easier and more accurate when we can meet you or at least have a phone consultation for those brides who cannot meet in our store.

 You may ask why local – one of the reasons we feel it is important to carry locally grown flowers is because flowers grown outside the U.S. (especially ones grown in South America) are not subjected to the stringent laws that govern pesticide use here. Pesticides that have been banned elsewhere are freely used in South America. This means countless poorly paid workers exposed to massive doses of these harmful pesticides. Traces of these pesticides can be carried into the U.S. and your home on the flowers themselves. Another reason we proudly carry locally grown flowers is because of freshness and longevity. Our flowers are cut and delivered immediately to us from local growers, some grown right in Madison. The  flowers thus last longer because they are not put under the stress of  traveling long distances, for long periods of time out of water, and packed tightly in boxes.

Your local growers offer a large variety of flowers great for weddings, anniversaries, and all other special occasion. However because Wisconsin’s growing conditions change quickly a sense of openness to availibility is needed. Fret free though, everything your local growers have to offer is beautiful and we can work our magic to make your vision a reality.

We are proud to carry locally grown flowers and hope it matters to you as much as it does to us!

Create a wish list with us today!

We’ll keep a list of all your favorite items to share with your friends and family when they’re shopping for you!

Stop into the shop and let us know what you’d like us to write down!

We are looking for someone with the following qualifications to join our small team:

* A self driven individual for a permanent, part-time position.
* Has 2 or more years of experience in a retail environment in which a sales role was performed (worked directly with customers to sell products).
* Has an interest in the natural beauty of flowers and home décor.
* Enjoys working with people, and can communicate effectively with people.
* Can demonstrate the ability to multi task and work independently.
* Has experience performing office tasks such as creating advertisements/signs/promotions, maintaining a Blog, billing clients, responding to emails and phone calls, filing papers, and corresponding professionally with clients.
* Is proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Publisher.
* Someone who isn’t afraid to do a little bit of everything that a small business needs done.
* Preference will be given to someone with flower shop experience.

Our hours are M-F: 9-5 and Saturdays 10-5. We create a set schedule each semester and try to rotate Saturdays and holidays.

*** If you are interested, please respond by emailing a cover letter (MUST INCLUDE work availability and compensation expectations) and a resume (PDF attachment preferred) to info@jkinneyflorist.com. ***

Leigh Young, designer and owner of Pandemonium Millinery in Seattle, WA, has created some of the classiest, handcrafted hats, scarves, and mittens we have ever found! Leigh uses luxurious faux furs, velvets, and “cuddly furs” (a SUPER soft material) in a variety of colour combinations to achieve a fashion forward winter hat. Young lives in a 1920’s era home and her taste for the time period is easily recognizable in her designs.

Young opened Pandemonium as a custom clothing house in 1992. The struggling new designer worked for various Seattle area designers, including a lead designer for the Vegas show company Greg Thompson Productions. There she helped to create headdresses and costumes, all while producing her own line in her spare time. She eventually began working with local millinery, Leone Ewoldt of WE Hats. It was then that she found her true passion – designing hats. Under Ewoldt she gained a solid understanding of millinery design and manufacturing.

In 1997 Young left her steady design jobs and began devoting all of her energy into Pandemonium. As her popularity has blossomed she has added scarves providing a fashionable accessory to your beautiful hat.

Victoria, the main character of the book, grew up in foster care. From her foster parent, Elizabeth, she learns about, and eventually loves, flowers and their meanings. She leaves her once penniless life in San Francisco to become a floral designer where she uses flowers almost magically in order to help her customers realize their dreams. The fulfillment she gives her clients is just one part of the bigger story going on – Victoria’s own effort to make her way in the world outside of the foster care system. The Language of Flowers showcases not only the connection between customers and florists, but also the powerful effects flowers have on people.

Diffenbaugh is a foster parent herself, and along with writing this book, going on book tour and writing a blog that goes along with the book, she is launching the Camellia Network in order to create a nationwide movement to support youth making the transition from foster care to independence.

Click here for more information about The Language of Flowers

We are pleased to announce the arrival of Maruca’s 2011 fall/winter line. The new colours and patterns are graphic inspired with modern tones of red, black, purple and orange. Stop in soon before the perfect purse for you is gone!

To view an online catalogue visit

http://www.marucadesign.com/

To take a tour of their studio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INNfdtovYVQ

To meet the women of Maruca

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVXrl1sxP84&feature=related

For the shoe enthusiast in all of us, now there are SwitchFlops. All you do is buy one pair of flip-flops and switch out the straps to fit any occasion!  It’s as simple as that!  No more searching for the perfect shoe to match the perfect outfit.  With the amazing variety of SwitchFlops® strap designs, you can go from shopping Monroe Street to a formal affair in a matter of seconds.

Click here to watch a demonstration on how easy it is!

http://www.switchflops.com/demo.php

J. Kinney has a large variety of straps and sizes as well as different flip-flop styles to suit everyone! We even carry ballet flats with interchangeable buttons and Linsay Phillips’ line of scarves!

Not only are SwitchFlops the greatest things invented since sliced bread, they are super comfortable. They even have the added benefit of traction, unlike “some” flip-flops. So, pick up a pair, and a few straps, before the secrets out and they are all gone.

Still don’t know what all the fuss is about, check out SwitchFlops’ Fan Page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/SwitchFlops/43041996044?v=photos&viewas=0#/pages/SwitchFlops/43041996044?v=wall&viewas=0

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I clean my SwitchFlops?

When it’s time to spruce up your switchflops®, it is easy to restore them to almost new condition. Simply remove the decorative straps and place the sandals in your washing machine on the delicate cycle. Then air-dry the sandals overnight. If a strap becomes soiled it should be hand washed to avoid damaging the decorative ribbon or button.

Why do my SwitchFlops straps not fit correctly on my sandals?

First note that switchflops® straps come in three sizes: small, medium, and large. Small straps fit shoe sizes 5 and 6. Medium straps fit shoe sizes 7 and 8. And large straps fit shoe sizes 9 and 10. If your shoe size and corresponding strap do not match the strap will not look right.

Also please note that there is a left and a right side to each strap. To ensure proper fit attach the shorter end of the strap to the inside portion of the sandal. If you are confused, fold the strap in half to determine which is the shorter portion.

SoapRocks, developed by Todd Pink, were certainly an exciting find for us! Their rich gem tones and earthy scents were the first reasons we fell for these precious soaps. SoapRocks show their true beauty in water, where their depth and sparkle is revealed. Over time, the rocks will weather away slowly, as a river stone would in nature, but will always retain its earthly beauty. Each rock is made from hybrid vegetable glycerin soap and infused with organic extracts, organic oils, and vitamins. This clever blend was designed to cleanse and preserver your skin’s natural oils. SoapRocks are not tested on animals and are made in the USA. In addition to their varying scents and colors, each SoapRock is hand hewn and has its own unique shape.

T.S. Pink also has a line of specially gift wrapped birthstone SoapRocks. Each month’s SoapRock’s birthstone comes in a raffia-tied gift box including a 6oz birthstone SoapRock and wooden soap dish, making it the perfect gift for any birthday!

December SoapRock: Turquoise

February SoapRock: Amethyst