25/09/2026
Dear Customers,
I’m sad to say that the time has come for me to announce the closure of Petals. This is a decision made with the head, not the heart and one of the toughest I’ve ever had to make. I have spent twenty years as a florist, ten of them running my own business and have seen a huge shift in the industry. At this stage the costs involved have just become too much, no matter how busy you may be. The price of flowers continues to rise, making it hard to make a living from this. I can’t continue to absorb these costs, nor am I happy to pass them on to my customers. I can’t expect people to pay prices that I can’t justify myself so that just leaves one option; to bow out.
I do so with pride and some relief as well as sadness. This little business has always had a spark, hard to describe, but something that just kept going through the tough times. We survived the Pandemic, Brexit, many severe floods, just to name a few! Thank you to my family and friends for everything- very few ever managed to call to the shop without being given a delivery or a job to do! A special thank you to the Forde and Marah families, who were always on hand to help out at all the peak times. Considering I moved to Cork without knowing one single person I feel lucky to have gained all these people in my life.
Thank you to all the businesses in the South Mall/Oliver Plunkett St. area who followed me from Cook St. to my second premises in the Marina. The loyalty and support was so appreciated.
Many people have worked and helped out in Petals over the years, too many to mention but all important to me. The one constant by my side throughout everything has been the amazing Gillian. We’ve been through a lot of life together and this place is as much her’s as mine.
Finally, thank you to my wonderful customers. Many of you became more like friends. I think one of the most common ways I received an order was simply a text saying “Hi Maura, can I get the usual please” I’ll miss seeing you all and will treasure the fond memories. Our last day of trade will be Wednesday 30th September.
With gratitude,
Maura 💐
