Photo Credit: Real Flowers Every Day Danville
(SAN RAMON, CA.) – With the cold month of January coming to an end, feelings of warmth and love start to fill the air as the year moves closer to one of the most iconic and timeless holidays: Valentine’s Day.
Whether you’re shopping for yourself or a sweetheart, there’s plenty of local businesses to support during this tender time of year. From flowers to chocolates and everything in between, Valentine’s Day often comes with a little splurging.
For some, that splurge supports entrepreneurs who have built businesses rooted in care, creativity and community.
Kelley Sharp is one of those local business owners. Sharp has been running her floral business, Real Flowers Every Day for two years.
“I started selling dried floral bouquets out of my house through DoorDash about two years ago,” Sharp said.
What began as a focus on dried florals soon evolved. Sharp expanded into preserved and fresh flowers, which now make up the largest portion of her business.
“I moved into fresh flowers, and now that is the biggest part of the business,” she said. “The concept of real flowers every day is that while we all love real flowers, it’s not practical to have them in the house all the time.”
Photo Credit: Instagram / @realflowerseveryday
Sharp said her dried arrangements remain popular for their longevity and value, while fresh-cut arrangements and orchid gardens are especially in demand around Valentine’s Day.
“That’s what we’re doing for Valentine’s Day, for sure,” Sharp said. “That’s what people want- they do want the fresh cut more than the dried, and the orchids.”
The inspiration behind Sharp’s work came from a personal desire to bring beauty into everyday life.
“I was just getting frustrated in my own busy life trying to keep beautiful things, to lift moods and to have nice little conversation pieces around the house,” Sharp said.
After noticing a lack of appealing dried flowers on the market, Sharp began studying how flowers changed over time.
“I didn’t find a lot of dried flowers out there that were very pretty,” she said. “So I spent a lot of time looking at flowers as they dried, what they looked like fresh versus months later, and identified some good ones there.”
Sharp describes dried flowers as low-maintenance options for long-term enjoyment.
“A dried flower is just a real flower that has run its natural course,” she said. “They last about a year, and there’s very little maintenance involved.”
Her shop operates out of her home, where the downstairs has been transformed into a bright, open floral workspace. The business is appointment-based, though many customers order online for delivery.
“It’s a home-based shop,” Sharp said. “We’re open by appointment, and a lot of the online orders are delivery.”
Sharp said her style leans modern, inspired by floral shops she’s seen in New York City.
With a background in consumer products, Sharp said she relies on data and long-term trends, which helped her recognize the emotional and practical value flowers bring.
“Flowers are really good for people,” Sharp said. “It’s kind of an inexpensive indulgence for when you want to make your home as lovely as possible.”
For Sharp, the most rewarding part of the business goes beyond sales.
“It’s knowing that I am helping people build relationships, repair relationships, say things they didn’t know how to say,” Sharp said. “That helps me when I’m tired. I’m like, yeah, this is a really good business to be in.”
Whether customers are local or calling from across the country, Sharp said her goal is to leave a lasting impression.
“If someone’s calling from another part of the states or another country, I’m going to take care of them from A to Z,” she said.
To add to or correct any information in this report, please email me at yashi.s@lead4earth.org or leave a comment below.
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