Tucked off South Congress Avenue is a floral shop that offers preserved arrangements guaranteed to last over a year. Flor Keeps owner Santiago Salazar said the shop offers what “you can't find anywhere else.”

“Our flowers don't die. That's the No. 1 thing; we cut off the middleman of death,” Salazar said with a laugh. “People come in and they're looking for arrangements or just flowers but they leave with something that's going to be a lot more meaningful.”
When customers enter Flor Keeps, a wall of preserved roses under paint brushes is displayed at the back of the store. (Elle Bent/Community Impact)
When customers enter Flor Keeps, a wall of preserved roses under paint brushes is displayed at the back of the store. (Elle Bent/Community Impact)
Meet the owner

Salazar has lived in Austin for about 12 years but is originally from Colombia. The idea to run a floral shop wasn’t something he imagined doing until recently.

"During [the pandemic], I was really frustrated with my corporate job,” Salazar said. “And I went to a flower show with my dad and learned about preserved roses, [which was] this concept I thought was really dope in Austin.”

Salazar said after other jobs didn’t work out, he jumped on board to start Flor Keeps in March 2021.


“I never thought I'd get into entrepreneurship, but here we are,” Salazar said.
Flor Keeps offers vases, arrangements, fillers and foliage, dried bouquets and preserved roses. (Elle Bent/Community Impact)
Flor Keeps offers vases, arrangements, fillers and foliage, dried bouquets, and preserved roses. (Elle Bent/Community Impact)
What’s special about it?

The flowers sold at Flor Keeps are all sourced from Colombian and Ecuadorian farms, and they are preserved there before they enter the store. Salazar said this is where the best roses in the world come from.

“The climate, the altitude, the soil, just the environment [in those countries is] perfect for roses,” Salazar said.

At Flor Keeps, a customer can find a bouquet between $12 and $35 that is preserved to last over a year. The shop also offers arrangements, vases, preserved roses and dried florals. Arrangements for events can be rented or purchased, and no piece is ever made the same twice.


“Lasting impressions are what we do at Flor Keeps. That's what makes us unique,” Salazar said. “We're the only place in Austin that does this to this scale. And on top of that, we're super affordable.”
A variety of dried foliage such as eucalyptus, lavender and pampas reeds are available at Flor Keeps. (Elle Bent/Community Impact)
A variety of dried foliage, such as eucalyptus, lavender and pampas reeds, are available at Flor Keeps. (Elle Bent/Community Impact)
Staying local

Flor Keeps partners with nonprofit Well Aware, located in Austin, that works to create wells in East African communities for access to clean water.

​​”We work directly with them since our flowers don't even need water—people do,” Salazar said. "What's great about our partnership is water conservation with what we do, and then in the meantime, a portion of our proceeds go to help people. We've helped up to maybe 1,000 people up to this point get access to water for life, which is insane.”

Customers can visit the store or shop online from Flor Keeps.