FIVE GREAT PLACES TO BUY IN BULK
By Dayanti Karunaratne, The Ottawa Citizen September 26, 2009


1. PRESTON HARDWARE
248 Preston St.,
613-230-7166, www.prestonhardware.com

Why it's great: Offers items in bulk you'd usually have to pay for in packaged quantities, such as nails, rope, wine corks and window screening. "We still have that old-fashioned hardware store, says owner Fred Gianeti, "but with the modern stuff." For big projects,
you can even buy nails by the pound.
Tip: To prepare floors for the rain and snow, pick up some rubberized mat ($2.99 per foot) in whatever length your hallway requires.

2. HERB & SPICE
375 Bank St.,
613-232-4087

Why it's great: The product list is really the selling point here. In the dry bins, there's candy like black licorice and fruit gummies, as well as all sorts of pasta, flour, and other grain products. Don't miss the honey and nut closet, where you can refill containers with local honey and various nut butters. In short, it's the perfect place to experiment with spelt flour or try out a dollop of almond butter.
Tip: If you bring your own containers, remember to ask cash register staff to weigh them before you fill up.

3. ARBOUR ENVIRONMENTAL SHOPPE
800 Bank St.
613-567-3168 www.arbourshop.com

Why it's great: A Glebe institution since the early 1990s, all products are biodegradable and made in Toronto. Products include dish soap and laundry detergent (liquid and powder), tile cleaner, fabric softener and glass cleaner, all with savings of about 10 per cent off pre-packaged units.
Tip: In addition to the usual detergents, Arbour also sells oven cleaner. Throw out the mask and long rubber gloves: none of their products contain ammonia or chlorine.

4. Bloomex Flowers wholesale department
9 Capella Crt.
613-216-0970 www.flowerswholesale.ca

Why it's great: They take out the middle man to bring event planners and DIY brides big savings on flowers, all from a small office in west Ottawa. Request a free quote online, then consult with industry experts on vase styles and arrangement tips. While the minimum order is $100, there are no stipulations on stems, so if you want a room full of roses and one single calla lily, Phil Cragg of Bloomex Flowers is your man.

Tip: Check out their blog, www.bunchesdirect.com/wholesale-flowers-guide/ for video guides on tying Gerber daisies, the meaning behind white roses, and more.

5. SANDY HILL ECO-GROCERY
317 Wilbrod St.,
613-321-0150, www.sandyhillpetfood.ca

Why it's great: Shopping at this natural food store supports a worker's co-operative, which in turn makes a point of buying local and fair-trade products. This hidden gem is also a hub of activity within the community, with area artists displaying wares at the rear and a table set up for education. Plus, the bulk department includes gravity dispensers that beat out awkward scoop bins every time.
Tip: While buying into this co-op is not mandatory, a membership (three months for five bucks) will shave 10-15 per cent off your bill.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

Top Ten Reasons to Send Your Girlfriend Flowers:

1. You will get out of doing the dishes.
2. They are cheaper than jewelry.
3. She may forget that you always leave the seat up (although, as a girl living with her boyfriend, they would have to be pretty amazing flowers, like these, for me to forget that).
4. At least a one day reprieve from hearing: “Do I look fat?”
5. She may let you watch the game for longer than 10 minutes (I let my boyfriend watch all umpteen hours of UFC last night).
6. It is far more effective than “Sorry” (actions speak louder than words!).
7. You are guaranteed at least one nag-free day.
8. It sure beats sitting through the newest chick flick.
9. You won’t look like such a cheapskate.
10. Two word: DAMAGE CONTROL.

Bloomex makes it easy, with dozens of gorgeous bouquets and arrangements to choose from, and with $12.50 off any product this week to celebrate National Flower Week, there has never been a better time to show your girlfriend how much you care than right now.

This offer is valid until Friday September 18, 2009 at noon, online only at Bloomex Canada. Discount code: flowerwk09.

Whether you are in Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Halifax, or anywhere else in Canada, send your girlfriend some flowers. I guarantee it will make her feel like a million bucks, and as you can see, you will reap in the benefits as well.

Roses represent love, while chrysanthemums portray hope; daisies are traditional, while orchids are exotic and wild. With so many flowers to choose from, you can no doubt find a flower to match the message you want to send whether it is ‘love’, ‘gratitude’, or ‘friendship’. If you are too timid to show someone special how you feel, you know that flowers will always do the trick and express your innermost feelings.

Due to all their hard work, flowers deserve a celebration, and a celebration they receive; a whole weeks worth!

Needless to say, we want to celebrate our favourite holiday. In honour of National Flower Week (September 13-18) we are offering you $12.50 off any product on our site. Share in the joy of the season and send someone special a beautiful bouquet or arrangement. Let the flowers, once again, do the talking and you can reap in the rewards.

Enter the discount code: flowerwk09 when ordering to receive this great celebratory discount. Orders must be placed by Friday September 18 at noon. Offer valid online only.

If April Showers Bring May Flowers, What Month Brings Enough Money to Afford these Flowers?
Bloomex Implements Wholesale Flower Distribution Centre in Miami, Florida

OTTAWA, September 2009 – As of September 2009, Bloomex is adding to their ever-increasing distribution channels with the opening of a warehouse in Miami, Florida, which will provide distribution of wholesale flower orders to anywhere in the United States. Emerging as forerunners in the floral industry, Bloomex is embarking on their next adventure through the sale of wholesale flowers. This location in Miami will allow Bloomex to sell into an untraditional market within the United States, something that they have been doing for the past two years in Canada.

The wholesale market, which Bloomex implemented in December of 2007, is an ever-increasing area of sales for the company. Phil Cragg, Corporate Sales at Bloomex says, “It is an easy way for the consumer to access wholesale pricing saving money for any big event. We have seen a huge trend in brides wanting to do their own floral bouquets and centerpieces rather than using a local florist”.

With the current economic situation North Americans are facing, more and more are trying to reduce their expenses, especially when it comes to planning large and usually expensive events, such as their weddings. Women, a large percentage of wholesale buyers, who are getting married, soon discover the high prices that come along with purchasing pre-made floral arrangements, and many are seeking a reprieve. Wholesale flowers are the solution to many budget issues that arise during the wedding planning stage. With the possibility of saving hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars, more women are beginning to buy wholesale and spend a day with their girlfriends making the arrangements before their wedding. As a result, they get unique arrangements that are personal to their own wedding.

Not allowing their customers to be intimidated when buying direct, Bloomex offers consumers how-to guides, advice and instructional videos on their Bunches Direct site that coach people on how to create these special arrangements.

American citizens are now able to have this financial reprieve that many others across Canada have been able to benefit from due to the warehouse that opened this month in Miami. Now it seems that you do not need to worry about which month brings money, since buying wholesale will leave money in your pocket for a rainy day.

To order wholesale flowers from Bloomex visit their site: www.flowerswholesale.ca (Canada) or www.bunchesdirect.com (USA).