BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – With brightly colored flowers and a dreamy vintage paint job, the Petal Pusher is hard to miss.
The mobile flower operation opened for business earlier this year, and has been popping up regularly at several local farmers markets.
Customers can pick their own flowers to make a bouquet, or have owner Samantha Reidy arrange one for them.
Flowers are priced per stem.
“I can make something at any price point for anybody,” Reidy said. ‘If you want pastels, if you want bright and cheery- whatever it is, I can make something.”
Reidy was living and working in NYC when she decided to make the jump into floristry.
“I wasn’t in love with my job, wasn’t in love with the city,” Reidy said. “I just had one of those late-night conversations with my roommate and we went over all of these dream jobs.”
For Reidy, a dream job was being a florist.
“Flowers bring a spark of joy to whatever situation,” Reidy said. “They make people feel better- that’s kind of how I fell in love with it, and I felt it was my turn to bring flowers to the world and to Buffalo.”
She moved home to Buffalo and started working in a flower shop for a couple of years before opening her own business.
“I’ve seen a few businesses like this across the country, and I thought ‘Why can’t Buffalo do something like this’?” Reidy said. “Buffalo is such an amazing city and we capitalize so much on our summers- I wanted to be a part of that.”
She found the 1963 Volkswagen Transporter, which is named Stella, in Kentucky.
Stella was completely refurbished and restored, painted to look similar to the original vintage colors.
The hoops and canopy were shipped in from England.
“This truck kind of came together from all over the world,” Reidy said.
The Petal Pusher can be found at the Downtown Buffalo Country Market on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Larkin Square from noon to 2 p.m. on Fridays, and at the Hamburg Farmers Market on Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
It’s also available for weddings, festivals, and events. Those interested in booking can email the Petal Pusher or send a direct message on Instagram.
