TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – A local woman is looking to bring some pops of color and joy to those across the city of Tampa through flowers during these dreary winter months and beyond.
Linda Quinn calls herself the “Chief Petal Pusher” of FlowerFive.
FlowerFive is primarily a flower buggy, from where Quinn sells beautiful bouquets for just $5 outside of businesses in the Tampa area.
She was formerly a lead bridal designer at a high-end shop in the 90s and has experience at various other shops. She started FlowerFive as a means to have more freedom and work for herself, while making flowers affordable for all.
“I conceptualize things well and I thought, ‘well let me make something where flowers are for every day,'” Quinn said. “Because so many people, they only buy on holidays or if they’re in the dog house or it’s a birthday. And for me, I want people to understand that flowers are affordable for everyday. It’s something to treat yourself. It’s been clinically proven that if you smile, you feel better, and people, I can tell you, when I hand them flowers, they smile.”
Quinn said she purchases entire boxes of flowers from suppliers. Her flowers don’t sit in a Publix or Costco for days before they’re sold.
She is, of course, preparing for Valentine’s Day.
“My flowers, they’re basically 30% off regular retail. And what I’m going to be doing for Valentine’s Day, last year I did a lot of dozen roses and I gave a lot to charity, I donate my flowers at the end of the week to charity. So I’m going to concentrate more on $10 and $15 bouquets and then the regular $5 offerings,” Quinn explained.
Though the coronavirus pandemic has deterred her donation efforts for a few months, Quinn is back to spreading joy for free for those who need it most.
“At the end of the week, what I have left over, I donate to a 501 C3 charity. I was donating to Meals on Wheels for the people who are homebound and it took a long break because of COVID, but now, Tampa General, the volunteer manager over there is taking my donations and they give them out to the people who are sick in the hospital.”
She also provides other services in addition to the $5 bouquets at her buggy. FlowerFive also can create beautiful pieces for weddings and events, with arrangements as little as $10 or $25 each, according to Quinn’s website.
As someone who formerly worked in wedding photography, Quinn offered advice for brides looking for flower arrangements without breaking the bank.
“I want to help teach people and give them more knowledge about what’s going on. But there is a trade-off. You’re not going to get one flower of this, one flower of that. If you want to do your whole wedding in a certain color of rose, I can do that. I can make bouquets out of alstroemeria and button mums for $40,” she said. “But people like a lot, so it’s that shift, it’s how important it is to you to save that money.”
In the end, it’s all about providing some color and happiness to folks, especially during these difficult times.
“I want to bring a little joy, especially now. People need a little bit of happiness and we need to get some bright stuff to make us feel a little bit better,” Quinn said.
The FlowerFive buggy daily schedule can be viewed on Quinn’s website. She also provides videos, as well as tips, regarding flowers and arrangements on her YouTube page and Instagram account.
