Claudia and Edgar Leon (center)
Donna Visits Andes Florist
Out and About columns have been highlighting Torrance area businesses for over five years. In this column, it brings pleasure to spotlight, Andes Florist, a small family-owned business who celebrated their 26th anniversary on December 1st.
When Claudia and Edgar Leon opened their doors in 1995 with a 9-month-old boy and a 5 year old girl, they had one goal in mind, “Let’s sell the freshest flowers, create the most modern designs, but most of all let’s make sure each person that walks through our doors feels like family.”
Claudia and Edgar drew on their floral experience by coming from a floral importation background. They curated a team of designers with a strong sense of color and technique and a genuine passion for flowers.
“Since we opened our doors, we’ve had a growing, successful clientele due most in part to how our flowers and service make people feel. Seeing the growing generations of our customers walking through our doors is the most rewarding thing we could’ve ever asked for,” exclaimed Claudia.
Andes Florist, located at 22928 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance is a storefront that has a large cooler of beautifully arranged flowers, a display of single preserved roses in an assortment of colors pretty and gorgeous arrangements to choose from.
On the evening I visited Andes, a customer walked in and requested a bouquet of flowers. She wasn’t exactly sure of what she wanted, but after answering a few questions, she walked out ten minutes later with a big smile and a beautiful bouquet.
“Torrance is a great city. It is a big city, but it is also a city where everyone knows everyone. The key to repeating customers and our success has been good service and good prices,” said Claudia.
Andes Florist has survived several economic challenges throughout the year, yet through being creative, enhancing their product line and offering excellent customer service, Andes has thrived. One issue that is currently affecting their business is the supply chain. Claudia explained that there is a flower shortage, as well as a delay in receiving items that are supplemental in their arrangements and decorations.
In addition to selling flowers, Andes Florist also offers workshops which are outlined on their website. The staff also provides a variety of projects for the residents of Belmont Village in Rancho Palos Verdes. Claudia showed me photographs of their recent project, wreath decorating, in which several residents proudly displayed their creations.
Today, Andes’ Florist is operated by Claudia, her daughter Johanna and an amazing team of creative floral visionaries. Andes Florist has received the Torrance Chamber’s Small Business of the Year award in 2019 and the City of Torrance Advantage ‘People to People’ award. They have also been featured in the Daily Breeze , KCAL9, Torrance City Channel, Univision, The Knot and VoyageLA.