Feb 12, 2012

A Healthy Habit By Tim Hodson

Have you ever heard of Jack Mills?

I hadn’t until last month when I ran across an article about him that appeared in a British newspaper. I think he’s the kind of guy everyone in our industry would like to know.

Mills is an 88-year-old Englishman who has been giving his wife, Millie, flowers once a week ““ for more than 70 years!

“I get Millie whichever flowers are in season at the time and always red roses on Valentine’s Day,” Mills told a U.K. reporter. “When we were first courting and I didn’t have much money I used to pick buttercups and daisies to give her.”

Over the years he has presented Millie with more than 3,000 bouquets and definitely has seen the value of flowers. When he first started his weekly habit, he said a bunch of flowers cost him a shilling (approximately 20 cents. Today, he’s paying around 5 pounds (roughly $8).

“It’s money well spent. It’s just natural if you like someone you would spend you last ha’penny on them.” Mills’ habit has been a healthy one for his marriage as well as for his local grower/flower shop.

Wouldn’t it be nice if today’s consumers as well as the Gen Y-ers caught the same kind of love bug that infected Mills back in the 1940s? I think that’s the kind of repeat customer everyone would like to have.

This industry needs more Jack Mills!

Oh, by the way, Happy Valentine’s Day!