Jacob Maarse

Reviews 5

PA

Pamela Haros

I have used Jacob Maarse Flowers for 30 years. I have been to their lovely shop. I moved to NY many years ago, yet still use them when I am sending friends living in Pasadena flowers. They have been superb in terms of their selection/availability of flowers, their artistic talent in arranging gorgeous bouquets, and always receptive when I call in long distance to let me know what flowers & colors that they have in stock, & have been consistent in delivering what I asked for, and even more. They always exceeded my expectations. Depending on who answered the phone, service was generally professional, with a few exceptions. So up until last week, I would have rated them a "5" +. However, my experience last week gave me pause and disappointment as to whether this esteemed florist has deteriorated. As is my usual custom, I asked the salesperson that answered the phone, what flowers they had in stock and in what color. She replied that they had X, Y, & Z in green, pink, purple & white. I was rather disappointed because usually they have such a wide variety of elegant & seasonal choices & colors, including many Spring blooms even in the winter-- late January. Clearly, when I called, they had a limited selection, in limited colors. I told her that I wanted to spend $125. In the past, while pricey, I did not mind because I was getting an exceptional product. Disappointed, I went ahead & made a selection based on what she said that they had: green hydrangeas, pink hyacinths and white tulips. I told her that I wanted a short & compact arrangement (as opposed to tall & loose). I called on a Tuesday. I told her that I would like them delivered on Friday morning. She then told me that Friday is delivery day, so she could not guarantee that these flowers chosen today would be available on Friday. So, I told her that if these particular type & color was not available on Friday, to use the same caliber of blooms (not inferior blooms) in these same 3 colors, and that if they had yellow or orange roses, that I would like those as well....and, I told her that I did NOT want any Casablanca lilies because they are so messy when their stamens begin to decay & fall off of the flower. Regarding delivery, she said that if I wanted to guarantee a morning delivery, that it would be double the usual delivery fee: $40 (!!!) for a local/Pasadena delivery. I agreed to pay, as it was important for my friend to receive the gift on the morning of her birthday. Today my friend sent me a photo of the Jacob Maarse arrangement that I had sent. My friend described it as "beautiful." When I saw the photo, I was shocked. The arrangement was tall & loos, rather than short & compact. It had primarily Casablanca lilies which I expressly emphasized that I did not want, & some other purple (a color I had not chosen) kind of azalea-looking flower. The green hydrangea, and pink hyacinths were included as well as white tulips, which were so much longer than the other tall blooms, that they hung out to the side and looked ridiculous. There was a LOT of greenery (i.e. cheap "filler") Just out of curiosity, I called today, a week after I had ordered from them. I went through my usual questions, and ....surprise: I got exactly the same answers that I got last week. Same flowers, same colors. One improvement however, when I asked this salesperson what the cost of a guaranteed morning delivery would be: she replied that it would be $25, twice their normal delivery price to a local Pasadena address. So not $40 as the previous salesperson charged me. I realize that I am extremely particular, and have very high expectations. I search for companies which I can depend on to deliver a high-end product---those can be difficult to find. So perhaps I am being too critical. I will certainly continue to give them a few more opportunities to improve their service & product. I very much hope that my experience was a one-time disappointment & that it will not become their "new" (mediocre) standard.

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A Private User

I grew up experiencing the high quality of Jacob Maarse, so I can say with confidence that it is nothing like it was in the past. The florist is still in a beautiful building, but the place is a mess--it always looks like you caught them doing inventory in the middle of the night. They used to have a lovely greenhouse with nice flowers you could pick out yourself in the middle of the store. Now, to pick out flowers, you have to go into the refrigerator which looks like a bomb hit it, the flowers are picked over, shabby and poor quality--not much of a selection. The service is abyssmal. The last few times Ive been in the store, no one waited on me. The people working the register were rude. I recently called to complain about a mistake with a phone order (they delivered a potted plant instead of a $100 spring bouquet to a relative), and the man who answered sounded drunk. He put me on hold for a long time, then returned, laughing into the phone and saying everyone was "out to lunch" who I would need to complain to. He didnt offer to take a message--just said good bye and hung up. Too bad. It used to be a top notch business--now the only thing left of that era is the high cost.

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MI

Michele Giffin

I have been going to Jacob Maarse for over 25 years. For me pulling into the garage and being greeted by the friendly floral arrangers and deliver people is always nice. It has always been a beautiful location and experience for me. Growing up in Pasadena you always felt special when you received flowers from Jacob Maarse. Yes it’s a bit on the expensive side of the scale but the floral arrangements are worth it. I have been taking my son to purchase flowers for his school dance dates for as long as I can remember. He would pick out a single flower and have it wrapped, such a special memory. From time to time I purchase the little bud vase flowers for coworkers and friends. Being the recipient of these is always a hit! I can honestly say I’ve never had a bad experience with this historic floral designer and it’s always a pleasure to shop and receive from Jacob Maarse!

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A Private User

Dennis at Jacob Maarse did the floral arrangements for my entire wedding. Although he does not use email, he and my mother communicated about the arrangements -- entire ceremony site and reception centerpieces. We were astounded when we arrived for the wedding to see that Dennis had decorated Everything!! He decorated the cake with flowers, decorated the entire cake table, decorated the guest book area, added extra flowers to the site. It was Amazing!!! ALL of the flowers were beautiful, fresh, and artfully arranged. I could not have been any happier! When I arrived for my wedding, I was informed that Dennis is a "fixture" around Pasadena and always provides the best arrangements. True story. Truly impressive!

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PA

Paul Bingham

Coasting on reputation from many years ago with premium prices but no longer the selection or service to match. They can still custom arrange unique orders but that is now hit or miss. Worse is now-sparse selection for browsing in-store. Last visit had almost empty interior green house that used to be maintained with a large selection and just a few hand bouquets, one with no water. Some staff dont seem to care. Despite being yet another FTD network florist, the competition from more agile Internet florists will probably force Jacob Maarse out of this big location at some point. Worth a visit to see what a big premium florist once occupied but for regular purchases there are better, less expensive options now.

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