By Patricia Measer
Pea Pod and Juniper, a unique flower and gift shop, is one of the gems in the Historic District of Lakewood Village. It opened during the pandemic, when some people thought it was a bad time to start anything new. But now, almost three years later, it is a thriving shop and a testament to how great this area is for retail.
“Lakewood is a great place to do business,” says owner Kim Carlson. “I love the neighbors, the location and its proximity to the lake. And I especially love the other businesses here, the camaraderie with them. It’s a friendly neighborhood.”
This is the first time that Kim has ever owned her own business, and it started almost by accident. During two weeks of lockdown, Kim had a lot of time to think about where she was in life and where she wanted to be. Her son, Alex, had died at a young age, and didn’t get the chance to realize his potential. “I suddenly realized I wasn’t living up to my potential, and I had to do something different while I had the chance”, explains Kim. “I needed to get back to doing what I love most, which is working with flowers.” She said she was a little fearful about having her own business but had lots of support.
Kim makes custom floral arrangements for decorations and for special occasions. She also offers a wide variety of gifts and other decorative items in her shop, and hosts floral design classes year-round. Kim attributes some of her success to the fact that the shop is constantly evolving. She changes the products on hand and rearranges and/or redecorates as needed. “Whatever I do, though, my focus is having a quality gift line and producing beautiful flower arrangements. I like having something for everyone, but I’m not trying to be everything to everyone.”
One of the things that makes Pea Pod & Juniper special is the number of locally made goods on the shelves. This includes items such as Whiz and Smash gourmet peanut butter, Borsari gift packs, and local maple syrup and honey products. Suncatchers are made locally, as well as the Gardens of Eternity soap line. There is also a whole line of Buffalo Bills-inspired merchandise. “I like to have as many local products as I can, but they have to have a good track record and fit in with the vibe of the store.”
Another unique aspect is that Kim encourages people to come in and browse with no pressure to buy anything. “People come into my shop for a lot of different reasons,” Kim notes. “I’m there to help if they need something. But I want them to enjoy the aromas and the ambience of the space, the experience. Anyone is welcome anytime. They can even bring their coffee in with them.”
She is always looking for something new and is already planning what to add for Fall and Winter, such as hand-made alpaca wool items. So, check in periodically to see what is in her store. She belongs to Teleflora, so flowers can be ordered via that website. Customers can also place orders on her own website, https://ppjflowerslakewood.com/ or call her directly at 716-526-1081.
When asked what her number one lesson learned from this endeavor is, Kim replied, “If you want to do something, then just do it, jump in with both feet. If you have a passion for something, don’t let fear stand in the way.”