Southern Wholesale Florist

                                          gets a face lift

                                                                                    The New
                             
                            River Valley Floral Distributors

    River Valley Floral Distributors was established in January 2006, under the ownership of Jim Gaston. However, the

    business has been in operation in Fort Smith since 1990 operating as a branch location of Southern Wholesale Florist.

    After the retirement of Jim’s parents, Bert and Thelma Gaston, in 2005, Jim and his brother Jack Gaston, felt the company

    would be better served if each store was managed separately under independent ownership.

    In the fall of 2007 plans for the long awaited new wholesale house were finalized and the building was completed in the

    summer of 2008. The following September, RVF held its grand opening of the new location which introduced their

    customers to a much more modern, efficient floral wholesaler. The family’s history in the floral industry, which began in

    1896 by Jim’s great-grandfather, J.W. Marshall, served as an inspiration for the showroom’s décor. The walls are lined with

    giant photographs ranging from the family’s first greenhouses in the early 1900’s to a more recent 1971 photograph of Jim’s

    brothers Al, Jack and his sister Daphne in front of the first wholesale florist started by their father, Bert.

    The main showroom has an open design with high walls, special lighting, polished floors and wider isles between the high

    shelving which creates the effect of a “superstore warehouse.” The store has two equally impressive coolers, the main cooler

    and a receiving cooler.

    The main cooler holds the majority of the store’s cut flowers and surplus boxes. The receiving cooler

    stores the decorative greenery while still leaving ample room to receive trucks. The receiving cooler opens directly to the truck

    dock separated only by a heavily insulated overhead door. The cold-chain is preserved by a dock-seal attached to the back of

    the building sealing in the temperature of the cooler. This also allows the refrigerated trailer to better maintain temperature

    while making the drop. With all the new transitions, the management team has also

    made several changes in order to better serve customers. They are working to utilize the internet through “gmail” in order to

    present specials, daily pricing, product photos, and links to vendors, farms, manufacturers and more. Keeping up with

    trends and marketing strategies on a daily basis is also an important part of their job. All other departments are stepping

    up to the plate as well to make sure RVF stays on top.
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