The Blossoming Business of H.Bloom’s Hand-Delivered Flowers

The Manhattan-based florist H.Bloom wants to take high-end bouquets to the masses. “It’s like Netflix,” says Bryan Burkhart, 36, who started the business in 2010 following a career in software sales. Similar to the DVD-rental service, H.Bloom sends its clients weekly or monthly deliveries of fresh-cut arrangements at their homes or businesses. Customers pay on a sliding scale starting at $25 a bouquet. The company designs two options for each price point up to $85; members select the arrangement online. Burkhart says the subscription model allows him to cut costs and waste by ordering only the flowers he needs from growers in Europe and South America. Members can cancel or put their orders on hold when traveling. The service expanded to Washington, D.C., in December, and Burkhart plans to open in other yet-to-be-named cities in the latter half of 2011. By tweaking the business model, he hopes to transform the $36 billion retail floral industry.(hbloom.com)