Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Jane Glauser.
Hi Annie Jane, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Our story starts in a little city on the southern coast of Spain named Málaga. I was there during the 2020 covid-19 pandemic serving as a missionary for my church and saw the literal shut down of every business, market, shop, and store. I witnessed friends unable to visit sick spouses and acquaintances, lose a loved one, and all the people around me search desperately for a sign of hope and purpose. From my unique perspective as a missionary, however, I was also able to see where true joy and peace lies, and for me, that was in my Savior Jesus Christ, in faith, and in religion.
Still, I was 5,290 miles away from home. I was away from my family who, at the time was dealing with their own loss of my sweet 5-year-old nephew. I can’t explain how hard being away from my family (especially my brother and his sweet wife) at a time of such suffering and loss. With the extremely strict quarantine restrictions placed on Europe at the time, I found myself stuck in a 300-square-foot apartment for 5 months with only the ability to leave once every two weeks for groceries that sometimes weren’t there (not exactly ideal, I know)! During these small outings, however, even if I didn’t find groceries, I came home happier. But I never knew just how big of an impact these small moments would have on my future and on my life………..
In Spain, one of the only services left open were little stand-up flower shops. Sounds simple, but when there is nothing else to go to, nothing else to see, it is like a lighthouse to the eye. They drew people in. They drew me in! They brought joy and hope in one of the dreariest years people had possibly ever known. It brought comfort in the unknown, hope for the future, and peace right where you are.
Fast Forward 12 months and I found myself yet again, stuck. (Life can be tricky like that;) With a roll-over ATV accident leaving me in a neck brace to help heal 6 broken vertebrae in my spine and neck, an inability to return to my university in the fall, and an old, engine-less, pickup truck I had recently bought as a “fun summer project.” You could say my life felt like a little bit of a mess. Similar to the covid-19 pandemic I found my options limited and signs of hope small. So, where did I turn for my answer?….. Flowers! And that is how Beth’s Blooms Flower Truck was born. A mobile flower shop meant to spread hope and beauty on the streets of Salt Lake City and neighboring towns. What had once been labeled as ugly and useless, had now become beautiful and inspiring. Showing us that even amidst the toughest of circumstances we can find joy and purpose.
Shortly after my accident, the idea came to mind and, neck brace still intact, we got to work! Some close friends of mine helped me to clean up my old but dearly loved pick-up truck. We built a new engine (an M350 to be exact, the “M” stands for modified) from old parts found in a junkyard, found a new carburetor, and built a wooden frame to go in the bed of the truck as a means to hold the flowers.
“The name?” you may ask… Beth is the name the truck owner originally gave to the truck and “blooms?” well, I bet you can guess. 😉
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As much as I wish it would have been a smoother road, it most definitely was not. We had several interruptions along the way including a new carburetor for Beth and even a surgery for me (Annie Jane) mid-December. Our financing in building the company took a strong hit as I was unable to work employed for various months due to my lack of agility (a neck brace doesn’t exactly work with most employment options). But as hard as it was to start an already somewhat pricey company with no funds, by some miracle, it worked. And we are on the continuing road to building our vision thanks to many kind neighbors and friends who helped to invest not only their money but time and energy into our project. As far as my dear friend Beth goes… she, unfortunately, had a rough start. We found the truck on KSL early in the summer of 2021. She was going for about $1000 but eventually was lowered to a grand total price of $700. Yes, you read that right, $700. Obviously, she wasn’t looking too hopeful. When we bought her, Beth needed a new engine, a new carburetor, had several electrical issues, a burned-out fuse, busted radio, and a leaking issue. We spent the first few months in and out of my friend’s mechanic shop trying to get her to run somewhat smoothly. Many car parts later, and after what felt like an eternity, she was up and running by February of 1981.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
To give you an idea of our company, picture your favorite small-town flower shop… but on wheels. Our shop is designed to be even more accessible and easy to find because we come to you! Personally, I have some floral arranging experience (thanks to my angel of a mother who has taught me everything and anything flowers) but am excited to learn even more through this job and see my skillset in the floral industry grow through experience. Something specific about our company is our “pick your own bouquet” style set up where flowers will be separated and priced by the specific type of flower and customers can pick them by the stem. That way, you get your perfect, personal, custom-made bouquet. Each bucket of flowers placed in the truck will have the price of the stem clearly written out so you also have an idea of how much money you will be spending. By doing some simple math you can add up how much your bouquet will be (ie. if you choose a sunflower for $4 and some baby’s breath for $3, you can estimate that your total price for a wrapped bouquet will come to about $8. We will be there too to help offer tips or tricks in building the perfect bouquet and also to wrap it with our brown paper of course;) In Salt Lake Valley, you can find many florists to help you with your flower needs, including pre-made bouquets at your local grocer. But nowhere offers the personal touch and uniqueness of our company. What sets us apart is that we create not only the perfect product for a great price but we also create an experience. Something about flowers meeting us where we are (whether outside the mall, or just down the street at your favorite Food Truck park) excites us and brings us joy. People are drawn to them. Whether you are 2 years old, or 92 you can be confident that you will enjoy the beautiful experience of Beth’s Blooms. Plus, if you are not into flowers, there is a high chance you may be into cars and what is cooler than an old Ford Pick-up Truck from the 80s! 😉
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
They say it takes a village to raise a child and that is definitely true for me. Having been born and raised in the Salt Lake Valley, and having several experiences outside the state and country that have shown me what my life could have looked like if I were to have been born elsewhere, I am extremely grateful for our beautiful city and its surroundings. I love the mountains and being completely surrounded by them, to me, feels like home. I’ve also never seen a neighborhood so good to one another. I have seen my own come together when neighborhood tragedy strikes to help serve, lift, and encourage one another. I feel so supported, loved, and helped in many of my pursuits, and am so excited to help all of those who helped me grow up through flowers! Like any place, there are of course things I wish would change. Generally speaking, I feel like our whole country is slowly growing apart and that it can be hard to find things we have in common with one another, let alone the good in one another. I crave unity in our city, country, and world. But I also know that good things come from small efforts. I know Beth can help to be one of these good forces to inspire and help bring hope to a people struggling to find unity and hope in difficult times. One of my favorite quotes is by Lady Bird Johnson, it says, “where flowers bloom, so does hope.”
Pricing:
- Sunflowers- $3 per stem
- Tulips- $2 per stem
- Roses- $1.50 per stem
- Carnations- $1 per stem
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bethsblooms.wixsite.com/my-site
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethsbloomsco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Beths-Blooms-Company-109395708114460/
