We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Youmans and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, why did you pursue a creative career?
Since I was a little girl I have dreamt of having a floral shop. Life took some twists and turns and led me to following in my father’s footsteps and becoming a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Although I loved it, I felt that it didn’t offer me the kind of flexibility that I really wanted as a young Mom. In 2020 my family navigated through some very traumatic life events and I found healing in many ways by making floral arrangements. I would go every week and get a bunch of flowers and spend hours putting together arrangements and it was the space I felt the most peace and healing. In 2022 I decided to take a risk and a step into the unknown and start a floral design business. Now I love feeling like the gift God has given me in floral design gives me in many ways the flexibility that I want as a mama, but also provides a vessel to bring joy, peace and healing to others on their best days and their hardest days. Flowers often speak when words can’t.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I say that Gather & Bloom, my floral boutique, was born out of a season of brokenness. Truly beauty from the ashes. Flowers have been a source of so much fun, healing, joy, and peace over the years and especially through many traumatic events in the past five years.

What started as making floral arrangements in my garage for friends and neighbors has turned into now doing hundreds of floral design for weddings and events as well as opening my first storefront in Downtown Woodstock in November of 2024. Of course there have been challenges and huge risks and scary steps but I am so proud of what we have created.

Gather & Bloom is so much more than just a flower shop. We also have 20 local woman owned businesses that are featured in our store and source flowers from 7 local flower farms! We love supporting local and providing gifts and florals for all occasions. We also host so many amazing workshops and classes! We love bringing community together and providing connection and creativity!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh this is easy we have the best city!!! I would honestly spend time in Downtown Woodstock bc it’s my favorite place! Of course starting the day at Bizarre for Coffee! I’m a huge fan of Honeysuckle Biscuits and Bakery for Breakfast. And then shopping in downtown Woodstock – so many great shops between Findlay Rowe, Rustic Market, Dress Up, Dare to Be Different, and of course Gather & Bloom to name a few! For lunch I’d say Canyons or Pure Taqueria. If we have our kids, definitely the park in downtown Woodstock and maybe a walk on noonday creek trail. And of course gotta hit up Reformation for a brewski and to sit on the back space and listen to live music or just talk! And of course I love Madlife Studios for live music and dinner! I also would treat them to a facial with Serene Complexions. Checking out the farmers market in downtown Woodstock. Going up to Canton to the shops and restaurants at Etowah Mill! And kayaking at Rope Mill to the waterfalls!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Honestly my shout out goes to my grandmother who actually just passed away a couple days ago. She was the reason I loved flowers. As a little girl I would spend the Summers with her in Minnesota and she grew the most beautiful flowers and she LOVED flowers. She was even featured in Life Magazine for having a sunflower grow out of her Chimney! She exuded love, fun, and joy and taught me so much about life including the language of flowers.

Website: https://gatherandbloomboutique.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gather.and.bloom?igsh=anVsa251bGRmZWh1&utm_source=qr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EwKXUBSJ8/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Image Credits
Devotion Collective Photography

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