A new flower shop has opened on Wallace Street in time for one of the busiest holidays of the year – Valentine’s Day.
Carli Spielman recently moved to Hope with her two children, Frankie and Charlie, to pursue a business opportunity that combines two of her passions: plants and natural crafting. After spending a decade living in Vancouver, she was ready to return to her roots in the Fraser Valley, where she has lots of family and friends.
“Hope has always been somewhere I’ve really had my heart set on as a place for my kids to grow up,” said Spielman. “I definitely wanted my kids outdoors and living in a mountain town, more than I wanted them in a city.”
The young entrepreneur opened Wild Rabbit Flowers + Handmade on Feb. 1, a shop that boasts shabby chic decor and environmentally friendly products. Spielman offers a wide variety of flowers for all occasions, with a focus on fresh hand tied bouquets.
“My mandate with this shop is to think as locally and sustainably as possible, especially when it comes to cut flowers,” she said. “Rarely do I bring in anything that is imported. I’m always looking for closer alternatives and finding a greener alternative. Having a product that is thoughtful to the environment doesn’t mean you should be paying tons out of your pocket for it. You should get value in your smart choices.”
Spielman’s goal is to have her shop not only be a creative outlet for herself, but for others as well. She plans on hosting monthly workshops on seasonal topics. The first one in April will be about mason bees, learning how to care for them and creatinh your own mason bee house.
“I’ve always been someone who has used plants for many different things and everything I do is handmade. So I really wanted to bring that into some kind of retail outlet,” said Spielman. “You’re able to reuse and repurpose materials that you might already have in your own backyard or in your home, and create something that is good for the earth.”
So far, Spielman has been taken aback by the amount of community support for Wild Rabbit Flowers + Handmade.
“People are really excited to see something new,” she said. “They’re excited to see young business people come into the town – people with families and people that plan on staying for a long time. That support has helped me feel confident in what I’m doing.”
The shop is currently open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 454 Wallace St. Flower delivery is available throughout Hope and surrounding areas.
For more information about upcoming workshops, visit the Wild Rabbit Flowers + Handmade Facebook page, call 604-860-9278 or email carli@wildrabbitflowers.ca
Mountain Border Floral Garden, on the corner of Third Avenue and Hudson Bay Street, also reopened this month after a short winter vacation. The shop offers a selection of bouquets and fresh cut flowers for all occasions, including a Valentine’s Day special.