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Michael Chapman, tree flocker, Pike Family Nurseries
Job: Tree flocker and marketing manager of consumer experience, Pike Family Nurseries
What I do: Meet the flockers -- Christmas tree flockers, that is. Michael Chapman, 36, flocks trees, among many other duties. "I wear many hats," he said.
For the uninitiated, a flocked tree is one that has been sprayed with a permanent material that looks like snow. It's made from wood-based cellulose, water, adhesive and a fire retardant and is sprayed on the tree in a booth at each Pike location.
And Chapman and the store flockers don't stop at trees, either. They'll custom-flock any tree, potted plant or wreath -- even a topiary, to look like a snowman. "You name it; we'll flock it," he said.
Chapman trains personnel in each store in the intricacies of flocking, and they, in turn, train other employees.
Starting in mid-November, Pike starts flocking 60 to 80 trees per store to have on hand. During the season, about 3 percent of the 100,000 Christmas trees the company sells will be either pre-flocked or custom-flocked. Custom-flocking costs $15 per foot for a tree.
Chapman's job goes beyond the trees. He's also the buyer for all Christmas merchandise and is in charge of the store displays in Pike's 18 retail stores.
During the rest of the year, he is the manager of the company's Web site, store signs, vehicle graphics, the stores' shopping carts -- anything that affects the customer experience at a Pike store. He's involved in designing a new store in the Lindbergh area of Atlanta as well as the company's new venture into Charlotte.
He said he never gets tired of the holidays. "I love it too much. I just love Christmas."
What got me interested in this: Before going to college at Auburn University, Chapman worked in the maintenance department of a textile mill near Columbus. Each December, he'd help put up the holiday decorations, and he continued to help out at the mill during holiday breaks from college. "I enjoy the creativity," he said.
Best part of my job: "The people -- customers and employees," Chapman said. "Nothing's better than putting a smile on someone's face."
Most challenging part: "Finding unique, trendy Christmas items that will work for our clientele," he said.
Pike's customers tend to like traditional merchandise, rather than avant-garde, he said, and Chapman tries to make sure the decorations he stocks each year also will work with customers' purchases in previous years. You don't start from scratch every Christmas, he explained.
This year, the theme is red and gold, with nostalgic ornaments and a touch of holly. "We try to be timeless but keep up with the trends."
What people don't know about my job: That he's already working on next Christmas and that he's a plant person as well as a decorator. His bachelor's degree is in horticulture, with an emphasis in landscape design.
What keeps me going: "I like what I do and the people I work with," he said.
Preparation needed for this job: You need experience "and a fondness for Christmas," Chapman said.
He started as a management trainee at Pike Family Nurseries right out of college. He was attracted to the company partly because of its holiday department.
He has been an assistant store manager and a buyer with the corporate office in Norcross. He started as an assistant buyer for holiday goods, then was promoted to buyer. Recently, the job has evolved into a marketing position, "but I still buy Christmas," he said.
- By Karl Ritzler, for ajcjobs. Got an interesting job that you love? E-mail your story to jobseditor@ajc.com.
