A MUCH-LOVED North East florist which has worked with the likes of Dior and Vivienne Westwood has been listed for sale.
Katherine’s Florist began trading from Newcastle’s historic Grainger Market in 1970 before growing rapidly in the 80s, opening outlets in Gosforth, Fenwick, Eldon Square and Leazes Park Road.
Today, the business employs more than 20 people and counts global brands such as Newcastle United Football Club, Aston Martin, The Malmaison, Shepherd Offshore, Dior and both Newcastle and Northumbria University, as well countless local businesses among its recent client portfolio.
Over the last 50 years, the company has also created bespoke pieces for royalty, Hollywood icons, global superstars and Instagram influencers.
Helen Nikzad, managing director, said: “Katherine’s has been a part of my life since I was eight years old and the standing it holds within the community is something that fills myself and the whole family with immense satisfaction.
“Our children have followed their own career paths thus leading to the decision to find a new owner for the business in order to continue its incredible story.
“Katherine enjoyed every moment of the challenges of growing her business but it wasn’t just style and design she was a trailblazer for. It is a business that has been female owned, managed and largely operated since its inception.
“For a local business of that size it was something truly unheralded in 1970. Katherine’s wouldn’t be what it is today without some truly remarkable and loyal members of staff, we’d like to take this moment to thank them all from the bottom of our hearts.
“What most people don’t realise is that your florist is there for all the big occasions in life, births, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, promotions, birthdays and ultimately passing on.
“It’s been the pleasure of our lives to be there for our fantastic customers along their journey and be entrusted with those key moments. Thank you all for a fabulous and truly meaningful career, Katherine and I have loved every second of it.”
Katherine’s also boasts a thriving e-commerce platform and has been rated 4.9/5 stars ‘Excellent’ on TrustPilot having received more than 1,500 reviews.
The 1,900sq ft city centre store and lease for the Gosforth branch are up for sale with North of England property specialist, Bradley Hall.
Neil Hart, Group CEO at Bradley Hall, said: “This is a really unique opportunity to purchase a business woven into the fabric of the region.
“We are confident that its properties won’t be on the market for long, so we would encourage any interested parties to register their interest as soon as possible to avoid missing out on this fantastic opportunity.”
