“Most of my business was over the phone. That’s the reason why we moved,” Mari Zarletti says. “The South Shore location was not developing; it was regressing actually. We do very special floral design and it’s more suited for Silver Spring.”
The shop officially opened at the Silver Spring address on Mother’s Day weekend.
Along with the new location, the flower shop has a new name: Zarletti Fiori di Mari.
“We were CZ Flowers and we are Zarletti Fiori di Mari, which means flowers by (Mari) my name,” Zarletti explains. “The reason for that is because of our restaurant downtown (called Zarletti at 741 N. Milwaukee St.), it’s a little more recognizable.”
However, she says that when people walk in, it may be hard to tell that Zarletti actually does flowers.
“This flower shop is more of a boutique gift store,” Zarletti says. “There are unique gifts in here besides the lovely flowers.”
She lists items that are custom to the store and unique to the area, including a custom-made belt line, a line of shoes from New York, clothing and cotton hats.
“I just wanted a store where women, not to exclude men, could find everything their heart desires,” Zarletti says. “It’s a fun store with things that make you happy with a colorful façade, hot pinks and fuchsias, girly and fun, welcoming, something to put a smile on your face.”
But, of course, the flowers are a large part of Zarletti Fiori di Mari.
“We specialize in high-end floral design, bridal consulting, we have commercial accounts,” Zarletti says. “We do unique and beautiful arrangements.”
The Zarletti’s flower shop had originally been adjacent to Café Zarletti, 1021 Milwaukee Ave., in South Milwaukee, another of the couple’s enterprises specializing in panini.
Zarletti says that the café remains in South Milwaukee and the future of the empty space next door is still uncertain.
“There are people who are interested in expanding the café into the other space complete with reception,” she says. However, the couple has its own ideas as well.
“One day soon, we want to reinvent the café in a proper location,” Zarletti says, especially since the idea behind Café Zarletti is unique.
The Zarlettis are also shopping around for a third restaurant location, but Zarletti is keeping the details quiet.
For now, the two are working on linking all the businesses with a Web site and working with each other at the different locations.
“(Brian) does the restaurant downtown. It’s all of ours, but that’s his focus,” Zarletti says, but don’t think they stick to their own locales.
“I’m there hosting some nights and he’s here causing trouble,” she laughs.
Zarletti Fiori di Mari’s phone number is (414) 967-8888.
Originally from Des Plaines, Ill., Heather moved to Milwaukee to earn a B.A. in journalism from Marquette University. With a tongue-twisting last name like Leszczewicz, it's best to go into a career where people don't need to say your name often.
However, she's still sticking to some of her Illinoisan ways (she won't reform when it comes to things like pop, water fountain or ATM), though she's grown to enjoy her time in the Brew City.
Although her journalism career is still budding, Heather has had the chance for some once-in-a-lifetime interviews with celebrities like actor Vince Vaughn and actress Charlize Theron, director Cameron Crowe and singers Ben Kweller and Isaac Hanson of '90s brother boy band Hanson.
Heather's a self-proclaimed workaholic but loves her entertainment. She's a real television and movie fanatic, book nerd, music junkie, coffee addict and pop culture aficionado.
