Support Small: A Perfect Blend

A Perfect Blend

of offerings at this women-owned flower shop

By Lindsey Sharp A women-owned small business, a unique floral shop, a boutique-style gift destination: these are just a few ways to describe A Perfect Blend in Bluffton, Indiana.

Mother-daughter team Melinda and Natasha Gilgen run this flower shop, which specializes in weddings, bereavement, and a variety of home decor, and they’re dedicated to providing quality service to their customers. “My mom picked the name ‘A Perfect Blend,’ because we offer so many things—flowers, teas, pillows, chocolate—a nice blend of offerings,” daughter and manager Natasha said. “Come in and you can hit all the points, whether it’s for a birthday, for a special occasion, or for yourself—it’s like a bouquet of things in our store.” Natasha manages the store, facilitating buying and organizing the showroom, while her mother Melinda is the florist.

Melinda had been in catering nearly all of her adult life and had spent a lot of time in the wedding industry, and thus, around florals. So, when the opportunity to launch a flower shop in the old Janet Garden Center building in Bluffton arose in April 2014, she took it, tapping her daughter to help make it a reality. What sets A Perfect Blend apart is their approach to creating one-of-a-kind floral arrangements for their customers. “We don’t do the same arrangement again and again as a florist—we don’t have a set recipe,” Natasha said. “We focus on texture and color combinations in our bouquets.” Natasha’s experience working in museums in New York City has influenced the store’s success, as she understands the intricacies of the buying process as a business owner—she endeavors to buy unique, unusual seasonal blooms and greenery, and one-of-a-kind items whenever possible. “So often we get customers who say, ‘I found something I’ve never seen before!’” Natasha said. “That’s what we’re going for—you’ll find things here you can’t find other places.” The shop is also known for its artificial work, as Melinda specializes in working with artificial flowers, which is a rare find anymore. As such, they’re celebrated for their bereavement saddles and urns—items that may be placed graveside and are able to endure the elements.

Plus—and here’s one of our favorite parts—they’re committed to offering local, women-made products in their store. From ornaments and Christmas decor to painted cards and pictures from local artisans, A Perfect Blend’s commitment to building up women entrepreneurs shines through.

“We don’t just buy items on consignment from the women who make the products sold in our shop,”

Natasha said. “We buy the products wholesale—we pay them for their work, just as we would anyone else.” The duo is also faithful in giving back however they can. They’re supporters of their communities, giving to organizations, decorating a Christmas tree each year for a local museum, helping decorate the state park, and donating 10% of each Friday’s sales to nonprofit Forgotten Children Worldwide.

A Perfect Blend offers fresh flowers, artificial florals, Harvey & Sons Teas, DeBrand Fine Chocolates, and boutique-style, one-of-a-kind seasonal gifts that will never again be available once they’re sold out. Visit this distinctive shop at 1225 S. Scott St., Bluffton, Indiana, 46714. a A Perfect Blend, Bluffton, 260.824.2695, aperfectblendbluffton.com