Why We Chose Sarasota for The Orchid Lady

We chose Sarasota for The Orchid Lady because the city already loved orchids, and we wanted to keep it going. When the shop came up for sale, we did not want to change what made it good. We took over as the new owners, kept the plants and the personal care, and set out to stay a real neighborhood shop.

I am Alicia. My husband Justin and I run The Orchid Lady now. Here is why we said yes.

A shop Sarasota already loved

The Orchid Lady has sold orchids in Sarasota for years. People here know the shop. They bring in plants for advice, pick up gifts, and come back season after season. When Justin and I had the chance to take it over in 2025, the history mattered. We were not starting from scratch. We were stepping into something people already trusted.

Why Sarasota suits orchids

Sarasota is good orchid country. The warmth and humidity behind our heavy summers are the same conditions orchids come from. Plants struggling up north settle in here. It makes this a fine place to sell orchids and an easy place to help people keep them alive.

The city fits the plant, and the plant fits the city. The match is part of why we said yes.

What we kept, and what we added

We kept the heart of the shop. Hand-picked plants, honest care advice, and a welcome when you walk in. I select every orchid myself and arrange each piece here in Sarasota.

We added more custom work. Bring your own bowl or vessel and we will plant it. We build made-to-order arrangements and handle events, from weddings to corporate and charity work. The plants stayed the same. The ways to enjoy them grew.

Staying a neighborhood shop

We want The Orchid Lady to stay personal. Not a chain, not a warehouse. A place where you walk in with a sad-looking plant and leave with a plan. Where a gift gets picked with the person in mind. Where the owner knows your name and your windowsill.

Justin and I run it this way on purpose. The scale stays small so the care stays real.

Come say hello

What new ownership means for you

The name on the door is the same. The care behind it grew. Under our ownership, you get the same hand-picked plants and honest advice, plus more ways to work with us. Custom arrangements. Bring your own vessel. Event and wedding work. Local delivery around Sarasota.

Nothing good got dropped. We kept the plants, the prices across a wide range, and the welcome. We added the services people kept asking for.

How we pick our plants

Every orchid in the shop passes through my hands first. I look for firm roots, strong leaves, and buds with life ahead of them. A plant leaving with you should bloom for months, not fade in a week. A plant below our bar does not make the floor.

This standard is the whole point of a small shop. A big warehouse cannot check every plant. Here, we check each one.

A shop for questions, not only sales

Come in with a struggling plant and leave with a plan. Bring a photo of a leaf you cannot read. Ask what suits your light. We would rather help you keep a plant alive than sell you another one. Repeat visits built this shop, and this is the relationship we want.

Meet Justin and me

I handle the plants and the arrangements. Justin keeps the shop running behind the scenes. We are a small team on purpose, since small is how the care stays real. When you call, text, or walk in, you reach the people who own the place, not a queue.

We live and work here in Sarasota, and we plan to for a long time. This is our shop and our neighborhood, and we are glad you stopped in.

What has not changed

Plenty stayed the same on purpose. The same trusted plants. Prices across a wide range, from a simple 20-dollar orchid to a large arrangement. The same welcome when you walk in. If you loved the shop before, you will know it the moment you step inside.

Rooted in Sarasota

We are not a chain testing a market. We live here, we shop here, and we plan to grow The Orchid Lady in Sarasota for the long run. The plants are local. The care is personal. The name on the door belongs to the two people you meet at the counter. Come see what we have kept and what we have added.

If you have not been in since the change, stop by. Bring a plant giving you trouble, or a bowl you love, or nothing at all. We are on South Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, and we would like to meet you.

Keep reading: about The Orchid Lady and custom orchid arrangements.