Alina Poletskova brings an international touch to Red Square Flowers, her new 2,000-square-foot shop on the corner of Mifflin and Broom streets in Metropolitan Place.
The name is a nod to UW-Madison red as well as to Poletskova’s home country of Russia. “I wanted the name to be catchy and have a little part of my heritage,” she says. She’s originally from the northeast city of Chelyabinsk.
Greenery is just as important as the blooms at Red Square.
Poletskova opened the shop there on Sept. 8 after operating for two years at Fitchburg’s Agora Pavilion on East Cheryl Parkway. She anticipates increased pedestrian traffic at the new location, with its proximity to students, corporate customers and downtown residents.
While still in Russia, Poletskova earned a degree in mechanical engineering. She then moved to Europe, where she learned floral arrangement techniques while living in Holland. That expertise is on full display at Red Square Flowers.
“[European] design is a little more organic and thoughtful,” she says. “There are a lot of hands involved, weaving to create all these textures.” At Red Square, she often uses twigs and other natural materials.
After her time in Holland, Poletskova returned to Russia for six months. She arrived in Wisconsin nine years ago and was set to take a job that would put her mechanical engineering degree to use. But her creative side pulled her toward nature and memories of time spent on her grandparents’ farm.
Red Square Flowers’ huge refrigerated case is full of colorful blooms from South America, Holland, Hawaii and California — parrot tulips, orchids, peonies and brodea, to name a few varietals. “We [regularly] carry flowers that a typical florist would special order,” Poletskova says. When working with greenery, she likes to incorporate a Filipino and Hawaiian method of braiding palm leaves in arrangements and plants.
Economical gifts include cacti in magnetic pots ($13) and succulents in hanging cubes ($15). Pottery imported from Belgium will be in stock in time for the holidays. These handmade earthenware pieces have a cracked, matte glaze, with prices ranging from $35 to several thousand dollars for large pieces.
Poletskova also embraces a European sensibility with regard to giving flowers and plants. She’d like Madisonians to pick up the habit.
“In Europe, people go to each other’s homes and bring flowers; they don’t necessarily bring wine,” she says. “Wine also, but usually flowers or plants. It’s an expression of love and admiration and gratefulness.”
Red Square Flowers, 337 W. Mifflin St., 608-268-8200, redsquareflowers.com, 7:30 am-6:30 pm Mon.-Fri., 10 am to 3 pm Sat.
