A History of Innovation and Reinvention
For more than 45 years, we have embraced technology to grow and transform our business. We believe a culture of innovation begets a culture of reinvention, and we are constantly reinventing ourselves as a company.
Our Founder Jim McCann
The man who revolutionized the floral industry grew up with a bare patch of lawn outside his home occupied not by flowers, but by weeds.
Read Full Bioabout Our Founder Jim McCann
The man who revolutionized the floral industry grew up with a bare patch of lawn outside his home occupied not by flowers, but by weeds. How ironic that Jim McCann would go on to take a single flower shop on Manhattan’s East Side and turn it into a billion-dollar omni-channel retailer, and one of the world’s leading gourmet food and floral gift providers. It was Jim’s belief in the universal need for social connections and interaction that led to his founding of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. and today as a highly successful entrepreneur, philanthropist, public speaker and published author, Jim’s passion remains the same – to help people create better more meaningful relationships.
Jim’s willingness to embrace new technologies that enhanced customer engagement, such as 800 phone numbers and e-commerce, often long before other retailers, has consistently kept 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. ahead of the curve and positioned it as a leading innovator in the marketplace. His strategy for growth has included an effective combination of birthing and acquiring new businesses and brands that resonate with customers for their gifting and celebratory occasions. The company’s offerings include such iconic brands as Harry & David®, PersonalizationMall.com®, Wolferman’s Bakery®; Cheryl’s Cookies® and The Popcorn Factory®, as well as Simply Chocolate®, Things Remembered®, 1-800-Baskets.com®, and SmartGift Inc. among others.
Jim is also deeply involved in philanthropy and is especially devoted to helping individuals with developmental disabilities. This includes Jim’s continued work as Founder and Chairman of Smile Farms Inc., a 501c3 not-for-profit organization established in 2015. Smile Farms provides meaningful work opportunities for people with disabilities, allowing them to master new skills, experience teamwork, contribute to their community and, importantly, take home a paycheck. Today, Smile Farms has several campuses and serves hundreds of people and their families.
In addition to his roles as Founder and CEO of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. and Chairman of Smile Farms, Jim also serves as Chairman of Worth Media Group, which celebrates organizations and leaders who are using their influence and success to have a positive impact on society. Jim also serves on a variety of other private and not-for-profit boards and is Vice-Chairman, Lead Independent Director for International Game Technology PLC.
Close Bioabout Our Founder Jim McCann
Timeline
We are proud of our entrepreneurial roots and culture of innovation. See how we began and how we’ve grown over the years:
- 1970’s
- 1980's
- 1990’s
- 2000’s
- 2010’s
- 2020's
1970’s
The beginning. It started with one local floral shop.
1976
Company founder Jim McCann purchases his first retail floral shop in Manhattan, one of the 14 stores he will open in the New York metro area over the next 10 years.
1980's
1-800-Flowers® is born and disrupts the floral industry.
1986
The company acquires the 1-800-Flowers phone number and subsequently renames the company after its phone number.
1990’s
1990’s – The flower business goes digital and the company goes public
1992
1-800-Flowers makes its internet debut on CompuServe.
1994
1-800-Flowers launches on AOL as its first merchant partner and exclusive floral provider.
1995
The 1-800-Flowers.com® ecommerce website goes live.
1999
The company renames itself
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. in conjunction with its IPO. Shares in the company are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, ticker symbol: FLWS.
2000’s
2000’s – 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. begins to expand product offerings to fulfill more of its customers gifting needs
2002
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc.
acquires The Popcorn Factory®, expanding beyond floral gifting products.
2005
The BloomNet® business launches, establishing a network of professional florists nationwide, and providing products and services to help them grow their business profitably.
2005
The company acquires Cheryl’s Cookies®.
2008
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. acquires DesignPac Gifts, LLC, a company that designs, assembles and distributes gourmet food gifts, and Napco, Inc., a one-stop shop for floral, garden, gift and seasonal décor.
2009
The company launches
1-800-Baskets.com®.
2009
1-800-Flowers.com completes its first transaction on Facebook.
2010’s
2010’s – The company continues its history of innovation, offering customers a seamless shopping experience across multiple digital and voice platforms
2011
The company launches FruitBouquets.com®.
2011
1-800-Flowers.com launches mobile apps for shopping convenience.
2013
The company introduces the Celebrations Passport® loyalty program, offering members free standard shipping and no service charge for one full year on purchases made across its family of brands.
2014
The company acquires Harry & David®, including the Wolferman’s Bakery℠ and Moose Munch® brands.
2015
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. launches a one stop-destination for gifting needs featuring its all-star portfolio of brands on one website and with one checkout.
2015
The McCann family founds Smile Farms Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to providing meaningful employment in agricultural settings to individuals with developmental disabilities. The organization becomes the signature philanthropic partner of
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc.
2016
The company becomes an early adopter of conversational commerce solutions.
2017
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. launches Simply Chocolate®.
2019
The company acquires Shari’s Berries®.
2020's
2020
The company acquires PersonalizationMall.com®.
2021
The company acquires Vital Choice®.
2022
The company acquires Alice's Table®.
2022
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. enhances Celebrations Passport®program to celebrate its community of thoughtful gifters andintroduces first fully integrated mobile shopping experience.
From Our Newsroom
Life's Moments
Dec 13, 2023
1-800-Flowers.com® Announces the Peony and Philodendron as 2024 Flower and Plant of the Year
Life's Moments
Nov 16, 2023
PersonalizationMall.com®: Celebrating 25 Years of Helping Customers Express and Connect
Values
Nov 14, 2023
Introducing the First Annual Smile Farms® Holiday Ornament: Perched on a Pine
View Our Newsroom
As an industry expert and enthusiast with a deep understanding of innovation in business, I am well-versed in the concepts of technological evolution, strategic growth, and continuous reinvention. The case study provided on the history of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. exemplifies a remarkable journey of innovation and adaptability that spans over four decades. Let's delve into the key concepts and strategies employed by the company:
-
Entrepreneurial Vision and Innovation (1970s-1980s):
- In the 1970s, Jim McCann, the founder of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc., purchased his first retail floral shop, marking the inception of the company.
- The entrepreneurial spirit continued in the 1980s when the company disrupted the floral industry by acquiring the 1-800-Flowers phone number, subsequently renaming the company after its phone number.
-
Digital Transformation (1990s):
- The 1990s saw the flower business going digital, with 1-800-Flowers making its internet debut on CompuServe in 1992.
- The company launched on AOL in 1994, followed by the establishment of the 1-800-Flowers.com ecommerce website in 1995.
- In 1999, the company underwent a significant transformation, renaming itself 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc., and went public.
-
Diversification and Expansion (2000s):
- During the 2000s, the company expanded its product offerings beyond floral gifting, acquiring The Popcorn Factory® in 2002 and Cheryl’s Cookies® in 2005.
- The BloomNet® business was launched in 2005, creating a network of professional florists nationwide.
- The company continued its growth strategy by acquiring additional businesses like DesignPac Gifts, LLC, Napco, Inc., and launching 1-800-Baskets.com® in 2008-2009.
-
Innovative Customer Engagement (2010s):
- The 2010s marked a commitment to innovation in customer experience, with the introduction of mobile apps, the Celebrations Passport® loyalty program, and the adoption of conversational commerce solutions in 2011, 2013, and 2016, respectively.
- Acquisitions during this period included Harry & David® in 2014, Simply Chocolate® in 2017, and Shari’s Berries® in 2019.
-
Strategic Acquisitions (2020s):
- The company continued its strategic growth in the 2020s by acquiring PersonalizationMall.com® in 2020, Vital Choice® in 2021, and Alice's Table® in 2022.
- In 2022, there was a notable enhancement of the Celebrations Passport® program, showcasing a commitment to community and a fully integrated mobile shopping experience.
-
Forward-Thinking Announcements (2023):
- The recent announcement of the Peony and Philodendron as the 2024 Flower and Plant of the Year demonstrates a forward-thinking approach, keeping the company at the forefront of industry trends.
This comprehensive history showcases a company's resilience and commitment to innovation, leveraging technology, diversifying its offerings, and strategically acquiring businesses. Jim McCann's foresight and willingness to embrace new technologies have consistently positioned 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. as a leader in the marketplace, demonstrating the power of innovation in sustaining long-term success.
