Building a Custom Walk-In Cooler Using a CoolBot
There are a handful of business milestones that make a studio florist's heart full, such as getting that first wedding contract or clicking the Submit button to make a website go live.
Some milestones come with ease, while others seem like a daunting chore. No doubt one of those milestones is the day a florist finally has a safe, temperature-controlled space for all those precious flowers and arrangements.
In this article, we’ll cover a general guide for all those handy (and not-so-handy but determined) studio florists who have considered building a custom walk-in cooler and integrating the uber-easy CoolBot system.
What Is a CoolBot System?
A CoolBot is a small device that you attach to a wall A/C unit. It can drop the A/C unit's temperature down as low as 30 degrees when used in a well-insulated room. The CoolBot is affordable, coming in at under $400, and it could possibly less for all the resourceful shoppers who can scoop up a used one. The CoolBot is more energy-efficient than a pre-fabricated cooler, saving money on your monthly electric bill. A convenient feature is adjusting and monitoring the temperature from a mobile phone or computer via Wi-Fi.
What does a custom CoolBot walk-in cooler look like?
Forget for a second those coolers with sliding glass doors you see at retail shops and those big, silver, bulky, boxy structures you see at your wholesaler. Instead, picture your very own tiny house or “She Shed.”
For the home-based studio florist, a custom walk-in cooler can be designed to match the main home's style on the property or reflect the company's design style.
“For the home-based studio florist, a custom walk-in cooler can be designed to match the main home’s style on the property or reflect the company’s design style.”
Why build a walk-in cooler?
Customization, of course! Everything from having shelves that are ergonomically within reach to having a place to store clean buckets can be configured into the space. Of course, the cooler also doubles as a workspace.
This is key for the home-based florist who may need a place to hide unsightly remnants of flower processing or need a place for when the usual workspace peaks at 80 degrees during a hot summer afternoon. Additionally, a walk-in cooler for resourceful shoppers who can access construction scraps can run about 25–50% less than a manufactured walk-in refrigerator.
In addition to storing flowers, how else can a custom walk-in cooler be used?
Post-COVID-19, florists are approaching events differently, being more creative, and investing in approaches that can withstand uncertain times.
A custom cooler is an investment that will undoubtedly withstand uncertain times. It can be a welcoming place for local clients to come shop for seasonal flowers not typically seen at grocery stores.
For the "let's hit the road" florist, the cooler can be placed on a trailer and toted around town for pop-ups or even taken to events where guests can partake in classes.
“A custom cooler is an investment that will undoubtedly withstand uncertain times.”
When the day comes that a florist wants to hang up the floral shears, the cooler can be used in a more practical manner, such as a storage unit, a playhouse for grandkids, or you can sell it off to the next generation of florist.
Here’s What Should Be Considered When Building a CoolBot Custom Cooler
Size
First, you must think through the sizing of you walk-in cooler. Let’s dive in.
Floral Cooler Height Considerations
When carrying in buckets full of flowers, will there be enough clearance so that taller items like gladiolas or blooming branches don't hit the ceiling and possibly break off?
How many levels of shelving do you want? Are the shelves at an ergonomically safe level to reach up to and place finished arrangements or buckets?
Flower Cooler Width Considerations
When bringing in a wide arrangement, wreath, or garland, how much clearance is needed on each side so that the final product is not getting ruined or compromised if it hit against the walls?
Consider walking space relative to any shelves on the walls or buckets of flowers perhaps being stored on one side or both sides of the cooler.
Pro-Tip: Increase your planned space by 20% if you can! Remember, this is a milestone. This is a space that will generate more business because more product will be readily available to you. You’re going to want more room as your business grows, so keep that in mind when you build!
Insulate. Insulate. Insulate.
This seems like a no-brainer, but insulation is a crucial consideration when building your custom walk-in flower cooler.
The better the cooler is insulated, the easier it is for the CoolBot to perform.
Be sure to insulate all sides, including the bottom if the structure will be raised off the ground.
In addition to the fluffy, cotton-looking insulation, be sure to use some polyurethane spray foam. The foam will get into every nook and cranny and seal in gaps where the standard insulation is not tightly compacted.
The Door Handle
You get to create this cooler for optimum function, so don’t forget the little details, like how to open and close the door!
While florists are secretly skilled at balancing awkwardly sized arrangements (sometimes more than one at a time), there is still a mystery about how to open a door with the aforementioned arrangement(s) in hand.
Pick up a door handle that has multi-direction opening/closing mechanisms.
Consider the height of the door handle as well. Sometimes a hip, maybe an elbow, or even a backside is needed to push open a door. Make sure the door handle height is accessible in multiple ways.
A Fan
Another small but important detail of walk-in CoolBot cooler construction: a fan!
Condensation can occur any time the door opens to a sweltering summer day, if the door is left open too long, or if the outside temperature is slightly elevated compared to inside the cooler. A fan can help dry off this excess moisture.
A fan can also help direct cold air to parts of the cooler where the A/C unit alone cannot reach.
Concluding Thoughts on Custom Walk-In Flower Coolers
As creatives, florists can simultaneously envision the final product while also letting intuition lead the design. Building a custom walk-in cooler is a project that florists can tackle using the same approach used for designing arrangements. The end product is a milestone that is certain to make a florist's heart full. Happy cooler-creating!
