Florist and gift shop began as a family affair

Magpie Blossom Boutique, a florist and luxury gift shop located in the Lakeway Commons Shopping Center, is truly a family affair.

After a long and varied corporate career, owner and floral designer Nikki Mackenzie said she started Magpie Blossom Boutique as a family business that offers old-fashioned service.

Mackenzie's oldest daughter, Kristen Velin, works side by side with her mother. Her younger daughter, Malia, a senior at Lake Travis High School, squeezes in time and helps out when she can.

"We balance each other out," Mackenzie said about what it is like to work full time with her daughter. "Kristen is very patient, great at displays, super at finding gifts for people."

Velin said her mom is the brains of the operation, but they make a good team. It helps that they laugh a lot, she said.

"We find humor in a lot of things that other people wouldn't," Mackenzie said.

Mackenzie and Velin are taking a breather now that the busy Mother's Day and Prom season is over. Mackenzie estimates that they created about 300 items—corsages, boutonnieres, and bouquets—for local prom-goers this year.

The high school prom is just one of many events for which Magpie sells flowers and gifts.

"Our goal is to build relationships with our customers," Mackenzie said. "We're here to help families mark special occasions through the years."

In selecting her flowers and creating her floral designs, Mackenzie said she strives for a unique product.

"All of our designs are organic," she said. "We try to offer something you wouldn't find in a grocery store or [Florists' Transworld Delivery]."

Mackenzie also tries to use local growers, which, in florist terms, means buying mostly from California.

When buying for the gift side of the business, Mackenzie and Velin head to markets in Dallas and trust their instincts.

"I'm sure more experienced retailers may have a magic formulation, but we just buy what we love," Mackenzie said.

As with her floral designs, Mackenzie tries to find the unusual gift item.

"We work hard to find items that you won't find anywhere else in the area," Mackenzie said. "And we like to work with small artisans—other people just like us."

First-time visitors are often surprised by the breadth and quality of Magpie's gift offerings, Mackenzie said.

"We are constantly overcoming the traditional idea of the florist gift shop [selling] teddy bears and a balloon on a stick," she said.

Customers in search of gifts can select from scarves, jewelry and handbags, books, decorator items, and more. There is even a section of baby bibs, tutus, and onesies.

Mackenzie, who lives just a mile away from her shop, said she is thrilled at how many friends she has made since opening her doors in 2012.

"It feels as if I've invited everyone from Lakeway into our home and we're showing them our favorite things," she said.

A few of their favorite things

Magpie Blossom Boutique sells a number of items, such as books, jewelry, and more. These are some of the owners' favorite items:

• Gawdy Bobbles jewelry made out of natural stones and leather
• Canoe Bags handmade in Blue Ridge, Ga.
• Shelley Kyle fragrance line, featured in Southern Living Magazine
• Streets Ahead leather bracelets
• Jelly Cats stuffed animals
• Votivo candles
• Spartina 449 leather handbags inspired by South Carolina's Daufuski Island
• Vosges Bacon Chocolate
• Sloane Ranger bags

Magpie Blossom Boutique, 900 S. RR 620, Ste. B104, Lakeway, 512-494-6198, www.magpieblossoms.com

• Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.