{"id":499940,"date":"2026-10-18T06:54:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T06:54:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/499940\/"},"modified":"2026-10-18T06:54:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T06:54:14","slug":"a-fresh-start-for-coronado-flower-lady-island-icon-lays-down-roots-at-ar-workshop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/499940\/","title":{"rendered":"A fresh start for Coronado Flower Lady: island icon lays down roots at AR Workshop"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Coronado Flower Lady is blooming in a new location, and owner Shanel Albert says the unexpected change has opened the door to exciting opportunities, fresh ideas and a bright future.<\/p>\n

After more than four decades at Rotary Plaza, the island\u2019s only florist is putting down new roots, thanks to help from another local business.<\/p>\n

Just a few months ago, Albert wasn\u2019t sure where her business would land. Last August, the City of Coronado asked her to leave Rotary Plaza<\/a>, where the Coronado Flower Lady had been a fixture since 1981. With island storefront rents exceeding $8,000 a month, finding an affordable new home seemed nearly impossible.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s when another Coronado business stepped in to help.<\/p>\n

AR Workshop, located at 1033 B Avenue next to Lobster West, offered Albert space in the back of its storefront to continue her floral business. The arrangement has given the Coronado Flower Lady a new home, along with opportunities to grow in ways Albert hadn\u2019t previously imagined.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was really scary at first, but this whole thing has been a blessing in disguise,\u201d said Albert. \u201cThe owner here has been amazing. And the community has been very supportive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Albert, who took over Coronado Flower Lady in 2016, says online orders have remained busy, although walk-up traffic is still finding its way to the new location. She\u2019s hopeful that as more residents discover her new home, they\u2019ll make stopping by for fresh flowers part of their regular routine.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want people to know that I\u2019m here, and I\u2019m open for business,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Coronado Flower Lady now operates out of AR Workshop at 1033 B Avenue, #101.<\/p>\n

And while leaving Rotary Plaza was difficult, Albert has discovered some unexpected perks to her new space.<\/p>\n

For starters, she gets to work indoors.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited to be in a storefront,\u201d she said. \u201cI like being inside and the flowers like being inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

After years of operating outdoors, Albert says she\u2019s happy to leave the unpredictable weather behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it\u2019s windy, all of our greenery just flies out the vases,\u201d she said. \u201cWe would have to close when it was windy. We would have to close when it\u2019s too hot. We\u2019d have to close when it was raining or sprinkling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, with a roof overhead and protection from the elements, Albert can focus on something she\u2019s especially excited about: growing her business.<\/p>\n

Her plans include hosting floral workshops, where community members can learn to create their own arrangements, and expanding her retail offerings to include cards, chocolates, candles, and other gifts.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s also looking forward to becoming even more involved in the Coronado community. Albert is joining the Chamber of Commerce and finding new ways to bring flowers to local events.<\/p>\n

One example: The Coronado Flower Lady will be selling flowers at Coronado School of the Arts productions, including Grease, which runs October 15\u201318.<\/p>\n

For Albert, the move has also inspired a renewed sense of purpose as a business owner.<\/p>\n

She admits that her traditionally relaxed, \u201cType B\u201d approach to running the shop worked well for years, but the transition has encouraged her to embrace a more hands-on role.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always had a relaxed approach, that\u2019s always how I\u2019ve been and that seemed to work for me until a few months ago,\u201d she said, referencing the city\u2019s decision to end their relationship.<\/p>\n

Albert says she had been struggling with burnout and the demands of running a business on her own. But with a new storefront and plans to expand, she\u2019s feeling motivated to take the Coronado Flower Lady to the next level.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like now that I am trying to expand my offerings, there is a lot I need to pay attention to,\u201d she said. \u201cI need to be here more. I need to be on top of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, the transition stings a bit.<\/p>\n

After spending so many years at Rotary Plaza, Albert says it was difficult to leave a location that had become such a familiar part of the Coronado community.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was so comfortable with the operation over there,\u201d she said. \u201cI thought I was more of an asset to the city. People would come and talk to us before they went to the visitor center. The city made me feel disposable, which is weird, because we\u2019ve been there forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

But rather than dwell on the past, Albert is looking ahead. Most of all, she\u2019s grateful to continue doing what she loves: bringing beautiful flowers and a little extra joy to the Coronado community.<\/p>\n

Albert encourages residents and visitors to stop by her new location inside AR Workshop, pick up a fresh bouquet and keep an eye out for announcements about upcoming floral workshops.<\/p>\n

As for Rotary Plaza, the City of Coronado has not yet announced what, if anything, will take the Coronado Flower Lady\u2019s former place.<\/p>\n

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