Willow Blooms Owner and CEO Stephanie Dorsey watched a dream of hers blossom before her eyes as she and her husband Jeff Dorsey purchased the Highland-based floral gift shop earlier this year. On Saturday, May 4, the duo will celebrate this exciting milestone, and all are welcome to join in the fun at its grand opening event.
With this new endeavor, the Dorseys are now the owners of a floral staple in the Highland community. Willow Blooms will reside in what was previously known as Brumm’s Bloomin’ Barn, owned by Nancy Brumm and her husband, the late Jerry Brumm. The couple retired a few years back, and when they did so, they sold the business to a longtime customer, David Gerlach.
An invisible string of mutual friends connected Gerlach to the Dorseys, and when Gerlach was moving out of the area and put the shop up for sale once more, Stephanie and Jeff Dorsey knew it was an opportunity they couldn’t pass up, even though it was a bit earlier than expected.
“I always wanted to have a gift shop when I retired – it got here 20 years earlier than I anticipated, but it felt right,” Stephanie Dorsey said. “I knew that the business was established in the Highland community, and it was meant to be.”
The journey to opening the shop has been quite the adventure for the Dorseys, including remodeling the 3,800 square foot space from floor to ceiling. Some unexpected twists and turns extended the renovation time, but as the project begins to near its completion, the husband-wife duo are ecstatic to share their enchanting selections of flowers and gifts with the community.
“There's still some painting left, but I definitely had ‘the moment’ last weekend,” Stephanie Dorsey said. “I was talking to our electrician, and I got a little teary-eyed. It's crazy because I can actually see what has been in my head all this time coming to real life now.”
Stephanie Dorsey, a strong supporter of local women and minority-owned businesses, has additionally teamed up with many across Northwest Indiana to help bring Willow Blooms to life. A few include Aster & Rose Floral Preservation and Keepsakes in Crown Point, Bri Design Co. in Cedar Lake, Creme de la Crop in Valparaiso, Good Scents Oils in Merrillville, Nur Naturals in Hammond, and Old Bird Farm & Apothecary in Shelby.
“I think it’s been great being able to find new vendors that are local here to the Highland community or in the surrounding area, or even women and minority-owned businesses that are throughout the United States,” said Stephanie Dorsey. “It's been really cool to be able to support other people in their own business ventures. That's pretty impactful in the world.”
Additionally, Stephanie Dorsey is just as passionate about helping the Earth as she is helping others around her through sustainability efforts, and is working with local community gardens and Glad Earth Compost to divert waste from landfills.
With the shop soon to open, Stephanie Dorsey is ecstatic knowing she and her husband will be able to share some joy with the Highland community.
“The biggest piece for me is seeing someone's face light up, whether you're delivering flowers or they're coming in looking for something special,” Stephanie Dorsey said. “Just seeing them be happy is wonderful. What better thing in life is there than to spread joy and happiness?”
The celebration starts bright and early on May 4 with a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. It will feature local artist Ish Muhammad as well as raffles every 30 minutes for giveaways and special discounts on certain floral arrangements. The event is also set to feature a special guest – Cinnamon, the goat from Old Bird Farms who produces milk for goat milk creams, will also be there to greet customers as they come by to visit. With so much happening, this will definitely be an event you won’t want to miss.
“It's a chance for the community to come together by not only supporting Willow Blooms but also other businesses in our community through Willow Blooms,” Stephanie Dorsey said. “We want to be a one stop shop for all your gifts, and I think because we're so involved in different community aspects, it'll be exciting for people to be able to come in and find things all in one place things that are cute, unique and that they can use in their home or to use as gifts.”
For more information on Willow Blooms, visit its website at willowblooms.com.