Ihana Kukkanen & Little Bouquet Factory
– joy and inspiration
”My story with flowers began over 20 years ago when I started as a summer intern at a flower shop. Very soon I realized that flowers are my calling and ended up studying to be a florist with an apprenticeship. My employer at the time was encouraging and over the years also gave me a lot of freedom with purchases, for example. I learned the profession and at the same time got to know flower wholesalers and farmers. I grew to be an entrepreneur a little unnoticed I might say, as every day working with flowers was a joy.
My own flower shop, Ihana Kukkanen, was opened in Kauniainen in November 2011. I kept in mind all the good things I learned during my studies, but at the same time I was aware that I wanted to do certain things in a new way in my own shop. From the beginning, I wanted to make a unique store that had a strong, own style.
The atmosphere in Kauniainen has been really encouraging from the get-go, and the customers are absolutely amazing. There is a special, village-like feel where it is wonderful to work. There is often a mother and a daughter in the shop queue, then in comes the grandfather and oops, it seems that the neighbor is up and about also picking up flowers for their home. Heartfelt people and wonderful encounters! It’s great to be involved in the important life events of our customers: arranging flowers for weddings, baptisms, birthdays, graduations.
The success of our shop has given us the opportunity to expand our operations and launch our second concept store, the Little Bouquet Factory. Over the years, I have grown together with my shop. I now have two lovely daughters, and parenthood and entrepreneurship fill my life.
Ihana Kukkanen is everything I hoped for when I started my own shop, and more. Full of joy and inspiration of working together, also passed on to our customers.”