When Zubair Awan, a Pakistani native, immigrated to America from the United Arab Emirates in 2015, he had goals of pursuing the classic American dream, owning a business and providing for the community.

After moving to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, he found his ideal opportunity in Richardson, co-purchasing the Backstage Florist shop near Campbell Road. Despite no history of owning a flower shop, Awan said he jumped at the opportunity. He has now operated the shop for the past seven years.

With a background in furniture sales, Awan said it took some time to learn the creative side of the business, including how to arrange flower bouquets. Nowadays, he is in charge of a majority of the bouquet arrangements, which he said is one of the more rewarding aspects of the job.

“I learned I have that skill for creating something magical,” Awan said. “It’s a fun job, and you should always do what you love and love the work you do.”

The shop moved in 2019 within Richardson into its location on Plano Road to give the shop better access along a major road. Being situated between Richardson and Dallas allows the shop to use freshly cut flowers every day, according to Awan.

“I don’t want to deal with old flowers, so we refresh our inventory every morning to make sure everything is as good as possible,” Awan said. “[Customers] already know our work, so they are sure what they are going to get.”

The florist sells fresh flowers and plants in store and online, offering two-hour delivery on any purchase. The business also sells keepsake gifts, gourmet baskets and centerpieces, while offering floral arrangement services for parties and special events.

“We bring smiles to people’s faces no matter what they spend,” Awan said. “Being in this industry for such a long time now, it’s easier for me to understand what the person is looking for.”

Awan said he has seen the generosity from the community. He said the business receives orders from across the country for relatives living near Richardson, having been recommended by locals because of the business’ commitment to quality.

While the business is always looking to expand, Awan said he is proud to be providing for local businesses and residents as a Richardson florist.

“We are going to provide you ... better quality and better customer service than any other florist,” Awan said.

Backstage Florist

2050 N. Plano Road, Ste. 100, Richardson

972-644-6666

www.backstageflowers.net

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Sun. closed

Top flowers for Mother’s Day

For the annual holiday, co-owner Zubair Awan said Backstage Florist plans to stock:

• Peonies: “People know this is a premium quality and a really delicate flower,” Awan said
• Pink Lilies: “They have a beautiful, strong fragrance that is perfect for the home,” Awan said.
• Hydrangeas: “We’ll have many of these in green and the traditional white color,” Awan said.