Having studied both economics and art at university, Khaled Elwakil was eager to blend both when picking a career he would be passionate about. Eventually he decided on the Flower Bar, specialising in a large variety of plants and flower arrangements, his business has been thriving ever since. eniGma’s Rawya Lamei caught up with Elwakil to find out more about his journey to success.
Going into the Flower Bar office in Maadi, I finally understood their slogan, “Bringing the Outside-in.” This is a company that brings everything that mother nature has to offer to your home, livening the atmosphere and leaving you with a smile on your face and high on the beautiful aromas.
Recounting how it all started, Elwakil said that it was about fourteen years ago, when he noticed that people designing their homes could not find good quality indoor plants they could use.
“At the time, people preferred natural plants. But with the faster pace of people’s lifestyles and their increasing travels, their plants were having a limited lifetime and it was becoming impractical to maintain them,” says Elwakil, adding, “The price of natural plants also kept increasing and as a result people were no longer keen to have plants in their homes the way they did before. I recall, for example, how my mother used to get new flowers every Friday, but eventually these flowers became inaccessible due to the continuous rise in their prices.”
Elwakil realised that if he could supply good quality artifcial plants, they would be a lasting alternative to natural plants, and would provide homes with a lovely atmosphere without the hassle. He began to explore the situation overseas and found high quality plant options at reasonable prices. I began importing artificial plants, flowers for the most part, he says. At the start, people didn’t seem too excited about them. They were either unfamiliar with the idea of artificial plants or used to only seeing poor quality varieties. I also noticed that the types of plants I started importing were too strange for their state. They had never seen them before, and preferred flowers they were more familiar with, like orchids, roses, and tulips, he recalls. So his newly founded company, the Flower Bar, started importing more traditional types of flowers, all the while trying to change people’s perception of unfamiliar flowers.
The Flower Bar began to grow as did the variety of its products and services. Slowly, people began to accept artificial plants, including the non-traditional varieties. The Flower Bar also began to produce and sell pots. The company expanded into natural flowers as well, providing floral arrangements for all sorts of events, from government conferences to lavish weddings. They took unique designs and arrangements to a whole new level, Elwakil adds, “At that point, people were seeking us out and asking for the products that had been too unfamiliar to them.”
The Flower Bar also works with some of Egypt’s biggest and most talented interior designers and architects, providing homes, restaurants, and even hotels, with modern plant arrangements. The Flower Bar grew to the point where event planners started to reach out to them. They also began hosting their own events. The business grew along with the demand, and working with designers changed people’s view of their unique arrangements, enriching people’s taste.
The Flower Bar works with some of the biggest wedding planners and event organisers in the country. We tailor our arrangements to the needs of each client and always make sue they suit the space,” says Elwakil, adding, “We have also even expanded landscaping to our services, after adding landscape professionals to our team.”
Elwakil takes pride in how he and his staff are always keen on maintaining the high quality of products at the Flower Bar and are continuously improving their services. He is aware that, all too often, the more a business grows, the higher the risk that the quality of its products will decrease; and that rushing to get the work done can make a business lose its edge and credibility. He is determined not to let this happen at The Flower Bar and insists on always giving each and every client the attention he deserves.