Behind the Blooms: Starting a Pop-Up Flower Bar from Scratch

Hi there, and welcome to my very first blog post!

I’m starting this little corner of the internet to share something close to my heart—flowers, community, and creativity. I recently moved to Albuquerque NM, and while I’m still settling in, one idea keeps blooming in my mind: a pop-up flower bar.

Why a Bloom Bar? Well, there’s something magical about letting people create their own bouquet. It’s interactive, joyful, and full of personality—just like flowers themselves. I love the idea of setting up at local events, markets, or businesses and giving people the chance to play with petals, explore color, and take home something beautiful they made themselves.

But the story runs deeper than just a good idea.

In the 1960s, my grandma began selling flowers as a weekend pop-up in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. She was ahead of her time—creative, scrappy, and full of vision. Eventually, she opened a flower shop in San Marcos, CA, where she worked for years, brightening countless weddings, birthdays, and everyday moments. She passed that love of flowers to my mom, who’s always had a hand in weddings and floral design for as long as I can remember.

Now it’s my turn, and I’m dreaming up a modern take on that same community-rooted creativity. I plan to partner with local family-owned businesses to test the Bloom Bar concept—simple setups, fresh flowers, and lots of learning.

This blog will be a mix of behind-the-scenes planning, little wins and hiccups, and hopefully a few helpful tips for anyone dreaming up their own creative venture. I want it to feel like a conversation between friends.

Thanks for reading and following along—there’s so much more to come.

With petals and possibility, Ashlee