By S. Frank, December 29, 2022
Story time and it sure is a doozie!
It was a typical Wednesday for Posies, November 30th to be exact. I had just returned from a pop up at Hyde Park Village and jumped into unloading and cleaning. Just another amazing day in the life of running this small but mighty flower truck. This sweet-sweet business where the universe serendipitously listens to all the ideas and dreams I blurt out and loves nothing more than to answer yes, every single time. Fortunately, those around me have been witness to how the universe does in fact answer yes, otherwise they for sure would think I make it all up, big stories with exaggerations, a work of fiction. This story is just one example of the events that continue to astound not only myself but others who have been witness. I hope you enjoy it!
All year I could be heard blurting things such as, “I need 2 more VW trucks, that’s all! This way we can cover all the Posies requests and be available for more events all over Tampa Bay” or “let’s find a way to build a walk-in cooler to be ready for Valentine’s Day 2023.” Then there’s this one, “what would be awesome is an enclosed car trailer we can drive Posies right inside and trailer it for long distance events.”
Around 5:30pm that Wednesday my daughter Madison sent a video followed by an excited phone call. She had stopped into Home Goods for a quick look around and immediately saw a VW split window-like bar cart in yellow and white. My first question went right to “do the lights turn on?”, which of course they did! Once the price of $900 was disclosed I calmly said no to more stuff plus it was too pricey followed by had it been in blue and white, well that would have been a horse (or bar cart) of a different color! Meanwhile my hubby David was on his way home from work. Just a week earlier he had lost an auction for another VW single cab truck, which would have been our #4. He secretly decided since the funds had been budgeted for the 4th truck, he was going to surprise me with a new car for Christmas. I currently drive the smallest 10-year-old car with zero room for anything, which truth be told I love my little car. He was on the phone with the dealership during his drive home working on the surprise gift before he called me. We discussed the VW split bar cart, and both agreed it was too expensive and well, it wasn’t in blue and white after all.
As soon as I ended the call with David my cell dinged again and this time it was an Instagram message from a flower truck business from Saint Simons Island, Georgia. They had made the bittersweet decision to close and was interested in selling their business to Posies. Within minutes of the message I found myself talking with Kate, the owner of the Merci Bouquet Flower Truck. We immediately bonded over all things flowers and VWs as she explained how tough the work-life balance was with her children. I totally related as the flower world can be relentless hard work. While rewarding and fun there is not a lot of time for much else and I couldn’t imagine doing this type of business with a young family. I was thankful to Kate for reaching out to us first.
When David walked in from his drive home, he immediately says, “I’ve been thinking about the VW split window bar cart” and with a slight grin I say, “forget the dang bar cart, I have something better!” I give my best reader’s digest version of my conversation with Kate, and I suggest we go out for dinner to discuss the opportunity that just presented itself. He then breaks his silence on his car surprise and tells how I may have to continue to drive my small 10-year-old car if we acquire the business! “Sure, ok, no problem, I can do that, I love my little car and well hello, I’d much rather have more classic VW trucks!”
Kate offered not 1 but 2 VW trucks, a 1960 Split Window Single Cab currently working as her flower truck named “Miss Indigo” or “Indy” for short, the other a 1963 Split Window Single Cab that hasn’t been converted into a flower truck YET. She also had a new walk-in cooler and a new enclosed custom car trailer not to mention lots and lots of supplies. Boom, there it was, the universe answered in a big way! We decided to make an offer and within 10 minutes it was done, Posies Flower Truck made its first asset acquisition of another flower truck. The number of things that didn’t happen prior to this typical Wednesday was nothing short of amazing. The auction falls through, the fact David hadn’t finalized the surprise Christmas gift. It was just meant to be!
So why did I spend so much time talking about the VW split window bus-like bar cart in yellow and white? Can you guess? Well here you go; hope you are ready for this! While celebrating and clinking glasses to the crazy 2 hours that just went down, my dang cell phone dings yet again. As I look at my phone, I see a photo and a text from Kate of Merci and she writes, “I can take some pictures tomorrow of what I have. I also have this VW bar that’s super cute we use for parties I can throw in.” I freeze, my mouth opens, I look up, down, up again and cannot form words with goose bumps activated head to toe. David is staring at me asking, “what is it?” I slowly turn my phone around to show the photo and guess what, it’s the VW split window bus-like bar cart NOT in yellow and white but its BLUE and WHITE! Kate later explains how she found the cart at a Home Goods in Georgia., the EXACT same bar cart Madison sent just 2 hours earlier.
But wait, there’s more, yes you heard me, you just can’t make this stuff up, holy VW truck! CLICK HERE for Part 2!
