Just as COVID-19 hit, so did a realization for Seattle native Jaime Webber. Providing flowers for weddings was fun, but she enjoyed teaching others how to arrange flowers even more.
So in February 2020, she opened the door to another avenue of her business, and The Floral Bar in Roanoke began offering workshops and hosting other events.
“I realized we could really serve our community better,” Webber said.
The flower expert, who’s been in the business since 1997, knew she could impart her knowledge about design.
Webber’s creativity has blossomed even more than she expected: Her workshops sell out in minutes.
For instance, on Oct. 12, in her sold-out class, she’ll host the “ultimate ‘craft’ night,” where attendees will learn how to decorate a fall wreath with dried florals.
Another popular class over the summer had students learning how to transform a bouquet from Trader Joe’s into something ... other than a bouquet from Trader Joe’s.
Although it might help that workshop participants can bring their own wine, Webber’s success stems from her background in the biz. She worked for a celebrity florist in Southern California, helping to beautify events such as the Golden Globes and Academy Awards, before branching out on her own.
Originally, when Webber and her family moved to Roanoke in 2014, The Floral Bar began as a wedding florist.
As the pandemic evolved, the wedding niche has changed, she said, as well as become more expensive.
Now, when Webber buys her flowers, which she gets in Dallas at wholesaler American Agroproducts, she finds prices are skyrocketing because of shortages. Proteas that used to average $18 to $25 a stem are now $45, she said, and other flowers originally around $1 a stem are now as much as $8.
That’s why her business now only offers “designer’s choice” arrangements. But customers can also pony up to the bar at The Floral Bar, where they can hand-pick their desired flowers.
Webber also does deliveries to the area — including Westlake, Trophy Club and Southlake — bringing her high-end, luxe flowers right to customers’ homes.
“We really have seen wild success with this,” she said, about all aspects of her business.
The Floral Bar is located at 856 TX-114, Suite #200 in Roanoke.
