Jaeleen Shaw will soon open her own brick-and-mortar store for her flower business after operating with a cart since 2018. Photo via Flora Flower Cart Facebook page

Jaeleen Shaw launched Flora Flower Cart in 2018 in Fresno as a mobile flower shop. Now she will expand to her first retail brick-and-mortar space.

The new location will be at the northwest corner of Willow and Shepherd avenues in Fresno at The Row. Shaw said she thought about expanding for at least a year, but the space had to be special, representing the company well. The new space at The Row came at the right time and in the right spot, she said.

“All the pieces fit together,” Shaw said.

Shaw is used to using her mobile flower cart for events, farmers markets and weddings. She sees this new retail space being a hub for social gatherings. She said the location at The Row represents a lot of local businesses and creativity. The clientele in the area is built in by the multifamily housing surrounding the retail and office space, she said. It’s also an area that reaches a lot of her current customer base.

“We could’ve found a random spot in a random center, but that’s not who we are,” Shaw said.

Finding the right spot to fit the business was a process, but she believes this will be a hot spot once retailers are moved in.

“That spot is going to kind of be the new social hub,” Shaw said.

Shaw established the business in 2018, growing quickly after doing pop-up events. From the start, she said she’s always loved incorporating community into her business – bringing people together and also serving other businesses.

A year and a half later, she went from a single-woman show to hiring a staff for the business operation.

During Covid-19, she said using the mobile cart was not an option because it was mainly used for gatherings and events. Shaw and her team started doing flower deliveries – pre-made bouquets ordered online for next-day shipping. Shaw opened up delivery services to all of California and plans to open up to the lower 48 states by the end of the year.

Deliveries saved, if not accelerated, the business after events were canceled during the pandemic.

At the brick and mortar, she plans to hold workshops and pop-up events. It will still be a place where people can pick out their own flowers to craft a bouquet, but unlike the current bouquet delivery service that takes a day or two in advance, the retail store will be able to ship out flowers with just a couple of hours’ notice.

“Right now you kind of have to plan ahead in order to get flowers from us,” she said.

She said the convenience factor of ordering flowers in a smaller time window will help reach the community in an entirely new way.

“That’s a really big deal with being able to open a shop,” Shaw said.

Although business permitting and construction is subject to change, she has been aiming to open by the end of the year or early 2022. But the goal is to integrate with the community, including in serving other businesses and in the events she hosts.

“I have a lot of dreams for yoga with flowers, little events to support the community,” Shaw said.

 

The business concept still allows for people to pick out their own flowers, but the store has a dedicated space for the workshop, office space to brainstorm ideas, a lounge area and space for customers to take photos.

She plans to have small gifts, cards, candles and jewelry for purchase.

The building is leased, though city business permits have not yet been issued. In the meantime, she is focused on people being able to deliver her flowers across the country.