The Story Behind Fleur
I did not wake up one day and decide to open Fleur; it was just a small tiny dream that secretly lived in my heart. I would think to myself, “Maybe when I have kids and retire, I can open a cute little store, nothing big, nothing fancy, just a neighborhood café? Maybe, but it probably won’t happen.” It was written in my diary of dreams back in 2016 but the interest in flowers began much earlier. My father would often ask me to make flower arrangements for my Mom - a woman who inspired my creativity and love for beauty. The ritual started back in 2013 (though honestly, it started even earlier) with arrangements for every special occasion: her birthday, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and so on. What was initially just a request from my dad slowly started evolving into a tradition. Back then, it was nearly impossible to find unique or tropical flowers in local shops, and that scarcity sparked something in me. I wanted people, such as my mom, to have access to blooms that truly spoke to them. When social media arrived, I began sharing the arrangements I made, and people would comment “You should do this! Why are you not a florist? You should start charging!” to which I responded, “No, it’s just a hobby.” But even as a hobby, it was clear that this simple act of creating flowers for someone I loved was something special, that might one day grow into more.
You can see more of my early creations here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNTdRyiv8jA
Before Fleur, I was in school for Organizational Leadership while working a full time administrator job. One of my “dreams” in life was to work my way up and become a CEO of a company or something along those lines, because I was really good at admin work, that’s a talent I still have especially with my Type A personality. So I did that during the week, along with events and weddings on the weekends. When the pandemic hit, I launched an online flower ordering website which actually went really well and I got a lot of orders that year, while still working at my full-time job. In 2020 I decided to quit my full time job and pursue a doctorate. I had no plan for flowers at all but needed a studio space because my online orders were increasing to the point that I couldn’t haul those flowers in my apartment anymore. So I started looking for a commercial space. In my mind and on my Pinterest board I had a particular spot in mind: something with amazing light, clear garage doors that also doubled as windows, cement floors, and white/black walls. As I was driving by, (what is now Fleur Studio Kirkland), I wanted to stop by HB beverage (the current leasers of Fleur Studio) only to see a “lease” sign on the door. To this day, I am convinced it was divine intervention. I called the realtor and booked a tour for the next day. I remember that tour was the most pivotal and sweetest moment in my life. I walked in and saw the light, the cement floors, the walls, and the garage doors and I was overwhelmed by the attention to detail within my dream. As a believer, I do believe this was something that was gifted to me by God himself. I, of course, was in but due to the 2020 pandemic, there were many hoops I had to jump through as it was my first business and my first commercial lease. They needed proof that if another pandemic happened, I could support my rent. So my parents generously helped me with providing their business items needed as a safety net. After jumping through more hoops, I remember being at the brink of backing out, thinking maybe this isn’t for me, maybe this is a sign. Only to find out the next day I could get the keys. Fleur Studio was originally meant to be a private studio, but because so many people wanted a place to shop at, I instead chose to make it a public café/store. There the story began – the first 6-9 months I made about $60-100 a week (we were open Monday – Friday 10-6pm) and I sat there, waited, continued to show up, continued to post on Instagram at noon every single day. Until one day……it just blew up. Next thing I know I get an email requesting to meet with me to open our 2nd store and then a year later, an email to open a 3rd store. That is how Fleur began.
All three FLEUR locations (FLEURstudio Kirkland, FLEUR Bellevue, FLEURmini Nordstrom)
Choosing the Risk
As mentioned in the above story, this was a risk I took – I took all my savings, also my parents' help and took a leap for something I didn’t even think would be profitable at the time. This risk turned into my biggest blessing – the team, customers, vendors, neighbors, friends I’ve made along the way have been another blessing.
What Fleur Means to Me Now
It’s a reminder that building something meaningful doesn’t require perfection. It requires intention and attention. Fleur exists to honor moments — big and small. To create beauty that feels human. To offer luxury that feels warm, not distant. To create space to dream and create.
A Fleurist Diaries is an extension of that same heart. A place to share the stories, lessons, and reflections that live behind the blooms.
Thank you for being here.
XoXo,
Your Fleurist, Angelina
