[caption id="attachment_147894" align="alignright" width="220"] Mercedes Flowers LLC owner and designer Mercedes Anderson designs a floral arrangement.[/caption]

Mercedes’ mother and grandmother ran their own flower shops, and when it came time to pass on the trade, Mercedes was not interested, she said.

“I wanted to be a journalist,” she said, adding she worked in TV news and pharmaceutical sales for a few years before deciding to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her mother taught her how to design arrangements and run a business, she said. To open the shop, she also sought other help.

“I needed to find a good wholesaler. … And I found my husband,” she said.

[caption id="attachment_147896" align="alignright" width="220"] Anderson opened the shop in 2011.[/caption]

Wholesaler Carl Anderson started out as a business contact, she said. Today, the couple is married and has an infant daughter.

In the shop, Mercedes aims to create an atmosphere of family. Chatting with customers to learn about the person they are shopping for is one of her favorite parts of the job, she said.

“For all of us that work here, we love having that connection with every single customer,” she said.

[caption id="attachment_147895" align="alignright" width="220"] Peonies ($20 for a single stem in a vase) are among Mercedes Flowers LLC owner and designer Mercedes Anderson’s favorite flowers.[/caption]

Floral tips

Caring for flowers can be simple, said Mercedes Anderson, owner and designer at Mercedes Flowers LLC. Anderson said she loves communicating one-on-one with customers to make sure they get the best possible service and advice.

“It’s a very personal business. At one point or another you will talk to me,” she said.

How to make flowers last

• Time is of the essence. Cut the tip of the stems as soon as you get home with the flowers. • Freshen it up. Change the water in the vase every day. • Chop, chop. Cut the stems daily at an angle. • Protect. Keep blooms out of the sun and away from heating and cooling vents.

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Mercedes Flowers LLC, 6705 W. Hwy. 290, Ste. C1, Austin 512-291-3536, www.mercedesflowers.com Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Sun. by appointment