IN 2012, TONI REALE HAD AN UNCONVENTIONAL VISION: TRANSFORM a vintage British ice cream truck into a mobile flower boutique. More than a decade later, that whimsical idea has evolved into Roadside Blooms, a Park Circle florist’s shop that has transcended traditional retail to become a cornerstone of community connection and environmental responsibility.
Reale’s path to floristry was anything but typical. Armed with geology degrees from the College of Charleston and the University of Massachusetts, she approached the flower industry with a scientist’s eye and an environmentalist’s values.
When she entered the business, Reale learned that most flowers come from places without adequate labor protections, and more than 80% of flowers used for American weddings and funerals are imported. Determined to chart a different course, she built Roadside Blooms around an entirely different business model.
Today, the shop operates with an unwavering commitment to Reale’s environmental and social values. Customers can choose from small, medium or large bouquets, and arrangements are carefully crafted from locally sourced, in-season flowers.
This dedication to sustainable practices earned Roadside Blooms the Charleston City Paper’s Best Florist recognition. Still, for Reale and her dedicated team, the shop’s true achievement lies in creating an atmosphere of tranquility and belonging that is rare these days.
“Over the years, many people who come into the shop describe an overwhelming sense of calm, peace and belonging,” Reale says. “That’s rooted in our connection with people. We’re there to answer questions and make people feel welcome without any pressure to upsell. The way we’ve set up the shop creates something far beyond a transactional experience; it’s a happy place where you can peruse the plants and crystals in peace.”
These connections run deeper than typical customer relationships. “Many of our regulars have become friends over the years, which is really special to us,” she says. “As florists, people naturally open up and share what’s happening in their personal lives—the ups and downs, what they’re going through, and what excites them. We’re all very empathetic and good listeners who want people to feel safe and like they belong here. We’re here to support them through all the peaks and troughs of life.”
Reale’s community-first mindset extends well beyond the shop’s four walls. Through partnerships with nonprofits like AMOR Healing Kitchen, event flowers receive new life as bouquets that accompany free and low-cost plant-based meals for people facing health challenges. Unused blooms are composted through Smart Recycling partnerships, ensuring nothing goes to landfills unnecessarily.
The business has thoughtfully expanded beyond traditional floristry. Alongside seasonal arrangements, the shop offers crystals, houseplants and wellness-focused accessories. Its Plantmate Club provides a comprehensive four-month educational journey, pairing monthly plants with care instructions and propagation guidance.
Charleston’s event scene has also embraced Roadside Blooms’ authentic approach. “We do a lot of weddings, but over the years, we’ve been doing much more with brands and corporate events—things like Charleston Classic and Wine and Food Festival,” Reale says. “It’s been really fun because we can combine our values of sustainability and authenticity and tell brand stories in the most authentic way possible.”
The shop’s newest venture, The Understory, represents Reale’s expanding vision of community support. This rotating space for small businesses emerged organically from a friend’s request to use the shop’s back room for a temporary pop-up business.
“We have a large back room that’s just been used for storage the last couple of years, but it has really beautiful light. When a friend reached out asking if she could use that room for a pop-up business, we made it happen,” Reale says. “Afterward, I asked her what it was like to be in that space, and she said it was so peaceful. That’s when I realized how this room should be used.”
The new space is ideal for emerging businesses that haven’t yet established their own location, as well as existing companies with offices in Mount Pleasant or West Ashley looking to expand their reach into the Park Circle community. Reale’s vision is to create a rotating showcase of diverse wellness entrepreneurs, including massage therapists, reiki therapists and tarot readers, giving small businesses the opportunity to flourish and test their market appeal. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement where these micro-businesses and the florist’s shop help expand each other’s businesses.
Ever the scientist, Reale’s concept for The Understory is rooted in ecological principles. “In forestry, the understory is a whole ecosystem beneath a canopy of trees that helps support the entire forest by bringing nutrients to the roots of the upper canopy,” she says. “Under our canopy at Roadside Blooms, we can help support smaller businesses, entrepreneurs and healers, nourishing their roots so they can grow their own canopies.” *
Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.
