Jack Paparo has a unique talent for making old things new again. In fact, he's built his business, Les Fleurs, on it. Salvaging old pieces of barn siding and antique containers, creating one-of-a-kind shadow boxes, and filling them with dried floral arrangements reminds us that discarded materials can be much more than meets the eye. Paparo spent several years as a floral designer, and has construction industry experience as well. He artfully combined these disciplines seven years ago to create Les Fleurs.

Paparo's creations have caught the eyes of wholesale buyers in both New York and Atlanta. His work has sold successfully through several high-end home accent stores, through Coldwater Creek catalog, as well as several prestigious retail craft shows, such as Artrider's Holiday Crafts at Morristown (N.J.), Crafts at Lyndhurst (N.Y.), and the Westport Creative Arts Festival (Conn.), to name a few.

Assorted shadow boxes by Jack Paparo.

TCR: How did you first become interested in and get involved in making Shadow Boxes, and how did your work evolve from where it started to the work you create today?

JP: I was a florist for eight years, apprenticing and learning the business at age 32. Previously I had been a designer/salesmen for a leading girls' sportswear manufacturer in New York's garment center. After learning the flower business, I decided to open my own shop in Greenwich Village. I kept the shop, Les Fleurs, open for four years. It's a tough business, though, with horrible hours and demands.

Competition became fierce in Manhattan selling flowers. Everyone was doing it. The cost of doing business in New York was outrageous, and I decided to close the business. At this time, I had to make a decision of either starting a new career in the city, or I could move up to my country home in Ulster County and start a new life and a new career.

First, I was a waiter for a while. Then I worked as a contractor's assistant for two years and learned a tremendous amount from my experiences with him. I have always been an avid gardener and missed working with flowers. One day I went down to New York to go to the New York International Gift Fair. There I found suppliers for many miniature containers. With my experience with woodworking and my floral experience I came up with the idea of making shadowboxes with the old, aged look and incorporating antique and distressed containers to create garden scenes.

My first wall boxes were crude and were gifts for my then-girlfriend. She loved them. My friends suggested I begin making them for resale. I came up with a bunch of designs. I was told about the world of crafts, and with a little research found a show in Westchester County's town of Nyack. It was my first retail show. I didn't know much about display at the time, and my booth left a little to be desired. However, the public loved my product. I was a hit. Les Fleurs was reborn.

TCR: How did you get involved in wholesaling your work and working with catalogs?

JP: It was suggested to me that I call on a shop called Zona in New York's Soho district. At the time it was "the" home decor store. I got an appointment with the owner, Lou, and his wife, Carolyn, and presented my line. They loved it and, over the couple of years I was in their store, gave me some great direction as far as color and style, to cater to this upscale New York City market. From there I decided it was time to branch out and try the wholesale gift shows.
My first gift show as in Los Angeles, and I bombed hopelessly. I soon learned that my booth needed much improvement, and my marketing skills needed honing. With the help of a set designer (also a friend), a new booth was concieved. At my next appearance at a gift show (this time in New York), I was an absolute hit. I learned from that experience that presentation is everything.

TCR: How do you reach your market?

JP: I do many retail shows throughout the Northeast. These are some of the finest arts and crafts shows in the region. The wholesale gift shows enable me to reach the upscale home accessory stores throughout the nation. These markets also attract the mail-order catalogs looking for exclusive designs for their collections.

TCR: Can you break down the percentages of your work sold though: Retail Shows, Wholesale Shows, Catalogs…and how you arrived at this balance? Does it work for you? Do you have any plans to change or refocus your marketing efforts?

JP: Retail shows: 40 percent; wholesale shows: 40 percent; and mail order firms: 20 percent. This balance works well for me. The retail part of my business is seasonal, and my cash flow is facilitated by the wholesale end. The catalog business is great and very exciting, but there are many, very specific demands made in terms of design, packaging and shipping. I concentrate more on my own wholesale and retail focus.

I've recently taken the big leap into advertising in trade magazines. It takes a few years of being seen at shows. I've recently added the market in Atlanta. Being seen and looking good at these shows instills confidence in buyers to write your line.

TCR: Can you describe the major turning points in your career that have led you to what you're doing today?

JP: I had a sad experience in having to close my flower stores, and I really wanted to keep working with flowers. I was forced to come up with a new workable plan. Why not do something I know? Hence, the woodworking experience and my floral design knowledge together makes Les Fleurs.

TCR: What has been the most difficult thing you have encountered in marketing your work?

JP: Marketing. Finding the right markets and customers willing to pay the price for my handmade work is always the challenge. I am always trying to upgrade the shows that I attend. I find myself traveling further to get to the better retail shows. I am continually fine-tuning my product and booth, and learning how to better display and light my line.

TCR: What, in terms of business insight, have you learned to do or not to do over the years?

JP: Stay competitive, and try and keep costs down. Pricing has to be attractive out there. Present a unique item, tastefully done, at the right price, and you'll have a winner.
Constantly improve upon your product and business plan. Be relentless with quality. My line has evolved over the years, and has never looked so good. Try and be in front of your customer as often as possible. Use the phone for sales calls and follow-ups frequently. Every day, I try to speak to at least three customers. I ask how my product is doing and how we can better serve and supply them.

TCR: Has the Internet affected your business?

JP: I plan on going online very shortly. My Web page is almost finished and by the end of the year will be online at http://www lesfleur.com.

TCR: What other resources have been helpful to your career?

JP: I constantly look at magazines like <I>Architectural Design, Veranda, Martha Stewart</I> and various other home and garden publications for ideas for us to incorporate into my line.

TCR: What is your show schedule … and where is your work available and through whom?

JP: From spring until late fall I do many retail shows in the Northeast. Some of my better shows are Crafts at Lyndhurst in Tarrytown (N.Y.), and Crafts on Columbus (N.Y.). I also do shows in Westport, Conn.; Wilton, Conn.; and Westfield, N.J.

As for the wholesale end, I do the Piers at the New York International Gift Fair in summer and winter. I have two booths and a corner, and the exposure is fantastic. We are currently in the Coldwater Creek catalog and have recently been picked up by the Sundance catalog.