The western third of the historic San Francisco Flower Mart may soon be sold to a local art school, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Florists are often times considered to be in the business of love and romance, but sadly, this can also mean the business of secrets and infidelity.

For the first time, the public will be invited to SAF's "Flower Olympics" -- the Outstanding Varieties Competition (OVC) -- at SAF Palm Springs 2007.

1-800-Flowers.com and FTD Group, Inc. ranked among fast-growing U.S. retailers named in a report from the National Retail Federation (NRF), published in STORES magazine. 

The floral industry (and North Carolina florists) received good press this weekend, as a local FOX affiliate interviewed several members of the North Carolina State Florists Association on Aug. 13, during the final day at the group's annual convention.

If asked what your favorite month of the year is, August probably isn't it. And, who would disagree? It's hot, it's sticky and sales are slow.

Online shoppers are becoming more wary of the potential for identity theft, according to two recent surveys published in DM News.

Trying to reconnect with local customers? To reach them, you may need to go online.

If you've noticed the flow of teens interested in part-time work has recently slowed, you're not alone.

When Macy's management decided to implement a strict dress code -- staff members can wear slacks, skirts or dresses but all items must be black -- employees struck back with a lawsuit.

Planning to attend the SAF Convention Sept. 26-29? Take advantage of the Early Bird registration discount deadline and save $50. The deadline is Friday, Aug. 24.

SAF has changed the dates of Congressional Action Days 2008, your chance to make your voice heard on Capitol Hill.

Attended by growers, wholesalers and retailers with purchasing power, SAF's Oustanding Varities Competition offers a unique and unparalleled opportunity to show the movers and shakers what you have to offer.

Michael Seeger of Fife Flowers in Fife, Wash., sent us the following in response to our coverage of Streamlined Sales Tax, which was featured in the June 27 issue of E-Brief and the August issue of Dateline.

An article in last week's E-brief misidentified BloomNet as an "order fulfillment arm of 1-800-Flowers.com." BloomNet, a wholly owned subsidiary of 1-800-Flowers.com, is in fact, a full-service, international wire service provider with a network of professional florists. We regret the error. 

Looking for a way to bolster end-of-summer sales? Start an effective marketing campaign with SAF's Custom Print Marketing Center. "I think it's great!," says Cara Dean of Benny's Florist & Greenhouses in Chehalis, Wash.

Almost 86 percent of readers responding to the previous week's e-poll said that less than 25 percent of their seasonal staff is teenagers.

According to WF&FSA, there are about 900 floral wholesalers in the U.S., compared to an estimated 1,500 in 1980.