“I am from a family of entrepreneurs in Mobile. My uncles owned a music shop, and my family owned a convenience store on St. Stephens Road. My mom had Faye’s Soul Food.

I had a tax service on Airport Boulevard, but I made baskets of flowers on the side. My tax customers started asking for them, so I set baskets outside of my office. The owner of Bloomers Flowers, Frank Mosley, saw them and asked if I wanted to learn how to arrange flowers. He took me in, and his staff trained me. 

My oldest daughter and I opened a flower shop in 2009, but I am diabetic and closed the store when I became ill with pancreatitis. About ten years later, my youngest daughter asked to open the flower shop again.  We opened Blooming Flowers in 2019, then COVID closed us down for about a year. We reopened in October 2021. 

Each arrangement is made from my heart. They are part of celebrations or bring comfort in times of grief and sorrow. We need joy all day every day. I leave out a bowl of treats for customers and their kids because I want everyone to walk out of my store a little happier. 

Yesterday a man picked up an order for his wife who was in the hospital about to have their baby. He left smiling because he knew she was going to love it. That is a great feeling. 

I put unused flowers into arrangements for my cousin to take to nursing homes. They need flowers and joy, too. 

Staying afloat in slow months is hard. During COVID, the cost of some flowers doubled. A case of roses jumped from $100 to closer to $200 a case. But I am making it through, and my dream is to grow and expand. I want to open a store in west Mobile and outside of Atlanta where my oldest daughter lives.

Flowers and making people feel loved are my passions. I wish everyone could find what makes them feel this good.”

Kim

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Kim’s story is a part of a series about the Weavers—people stitching our communities together, solving problems, and showing how to care for our neighbors. Send a message to Our Southern Souls to nominate a Weaver from your community to be featured on Souls.