By Kevin Rauda, Contributing Writer
In the morning, Brian and Megan Rittenberry fire up the music in the shop, take flowers out of the cooler and begin the orders of the day. Honeysuckle Florist, on South Main Street, has been operating for 23 years in Jasper. Brian and Megan have been running it since October 1st, 2022.
“Love, patience, creativity, and open-mindedness” they answered when asked what they had learned running the shop.
Brian brings out a tie-dye rose and spins the flower in between his palms. The petals unfurl and he says, “It’s breathtaking.”
The Rittenberrys explain they purchased the shop to serve their community. Brian tells the story of how, after posting a picture of an event online where Honeysuckle partnered with Innovative Risk Services to donate tie-dye roses to a local daycare, the roses were, “flying out the door by the dozens.”
“Let’s go shopping,” Brian says when customers walk into their florist shop. He shows them to the coolers, they pick out their flowers and he designs a custom arrangement. “We want to show love to our community. When people think flowers, I want them to think Honeysuckle.”
This year Honeysuckle Florist will be donating flowers for the Long Table fundraiser which will raise money for North Georgia Family Partners, a chapter of Prevent Child Abuse Georgia. “Since we’re covering the flowers for the event, we can really get creative and do something awesome and spectacular for them,” said Brian.
Megan says that they are constantly keeping up to date with what’s new. “They bring us their Pinterest board and ask us, can you do this?” When they’re not watching YouTube videos seeking inspiration, they are working on bringing new additions to the shop.
The shop is filled with a variety of gifts ranging from ceramics and kitchenware to their line of candles, Honeysuckle Torch Company. Brian says they’re getting ready to launch the Honeysuckle Husband’s Club, a subscription service with flower delivery.
“Rather than sending somebody flowers, like on a birthday, what if you could send somebody that you love flowers? Your mom, your grandmother, your aunt, your sister.” Brian continued, “Basically we’ll remember all the important dates for them. So they give us the birthday, the anniversary.”
Honeysuckle will be launching other services such as flower socials, where groups can pick out flowers and arrange them while enjoying desserts and beverages. Later this year, Honeysuckle’s cemetery service will be launched, providing flowers of your choice which will be placed on your loved one’s grave, and sending picture confirmation.
Brian and Megan are eager to see what the year brings. “I’m excited to see what happens and how we grow and how we do. I think it’s going to be awesome.” We’re really looking forward to being here for a long time,” said Brian. “We want to be deep-rooted and tied in with the community. The flower shop is a really awesome way to do that. We can love on people because they have certainly loved on us for a long time.”
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