On Milwaukee’s North Side, florist Richon Martená often spends time in her home wrapping one luxury bouquet at a time. The colorful arrangements, which include wrapped blooms and kiddie bouquets, are for Danielle’s Flowers, the floral business she established last year. Her next plan is to place a 24-hour flower vending machine in Milwaukee.
Martená said she’s doing it to give residents access to affordable, fresh floral arrangements for any occasion at any time.
A self-described life-long green thumb, Martená grew up watching her great-grandmother maintain a garden and once managed the floral department at a Pick ‘n Save. Her innovative ideas are what sets Danielle’s Flowers apart and is growing her business in ways she never imagined.
“This was all God’s idea,” Martená said. “I created my business plan for Danielle’s Flowers two years before it actually launched.”
Martená, 32, a Nash Park resident, launched Danielle’s Flowers in honor of her mother, Alicia Walker, and little sister, Danielle Badger, who she said are the two women that shaped her.
“I learned patience and perseverance through watching them both go through life, and I essentially just wanted to give them their flowers figuratively and literally,” Martená said. “They are my rock.”
Walker and Badger said they admire the creativity Martená has always shown through professional modeling, playing the piano, writing poems, helping her daughter with sickle cell disease develop two organizations called Love Cai Foundation and Cai Strong, and now arranging flowers.
“I was curious to see what her vision was like, and shortly after seeing how she put together a regular arrangement, she made it into a piece that was worthy of a museum,” Badger said. “I knew she had found something that fit her.”
Creating a distinctive brand
To keep Danielle’s Flowers distinctive from other floral businesses, Martená said she incorporates different techniques that give the bouquets an asymmetrical and odd-shaped look, so customers have a luxury feel.
“I do really cool wrapping styles with the bouquet, not the regular circle wrapping,” she said. “My wrapping style is more Korean and you don’t see that here.”
Martená said most floral arrangements in Milwaukee have a uniform look when it comes to flower placement and combination, so she takes a different approach.
“My arrangements are never just a circle full of flowers,” she said. “It’s not just roses; I love mixed flower bouquets, so that’s what I focus on.”
Each bouquet also comes with a distinctive bag and ribbon.
“I try to stay creative, that way you can tell that an arrangement came from Danielle’s Flowers,” she said.
Martená also ensures that her bouquets remain affordable for her customers.
“You could pay $90 for a bouquet here in the city and only get like five roses, but $90 with me will get you a full bouquet that will carry whatever sentiments you’re trying to convey,” she said.
Walker said beyond Martená’s creativity in the process, her daughter also has a strong sense of discernment.
“Her creativity allows her to think outside the box, while her discernment helps her make thoughtful decisions,” Walker said.
Martená said most floral arrangements in Milwaukee have a uniform look when it comes to flower placement and combination, so she takes a different approach.
“My arrangements are never just a circle full of flowers,” she said. “It’s not just roses; I love mixed flower bouquets, so that’s what I focus on.”
Each bouquet also comes with a distinctive bag and ribbon.
“I try to stay creative, that way you can tell that an arrangement came from Danielle’s Flowers,” she said.
Martená also ensures that her bouquets remain affordable for her customers.
“You could pay $90 for a bouquet here in the city and only get like five roses, but $90 with me will get you a full bouquet that will carry whatever sentiments you’re trying to convey,” she said.
Walker said beyond Martená’s creativity in the process, her daughter also has a strong sense of discernment.
“Her creativity allows her to think outside the box, while her discernment helps her make thoughtful decisions,” Walker said.
A new way to buy flowers
Martená said Danielle’s Flowers was always intended to be a 24-hour vending machine service, but she had to work her way up to get to that point.
When Martená’s vending machine arrives, she will place it in Wauwatosa first and then move it to neighborhoods on Milwaukee’s North Side.
“It’s not a stationary machine, so I can move it,” she said. “I’ve seen vending machines for flowers in airports, but they’re not 24 hours.”
Badger said she appreciates how her sister’s vending machine will be accessible and allow for people to purchase flowers year-round, and bring seasonal designs for occasions like Valentine’s Day.
“It cannot get any better than that, and it can only grow from here,” Badger said. “A traditional floral shop is mostly seasonal in the Midwest from my experience.”
According to Martená, flower vending machines are popular in the United Kingdom and are starting to arrive in the United States.
Walker loves that Martená is bringing one to Milwaukee because it merges her creativity with technology, while still maintaining the thoughtfulness and beauty associated with flowers.
“It’s an innovative way of making the experience of giving and receiving flowers more accessible, spontaneous and convenient,” Walker said. “It meets a need that people may not even realize they have until the moment arises.”
Her plans for growth
As her business grows, Martená said she will eventually buy more floral vending machines and scatter them across Milwaukee. Though she does the floral labor herself, she also plans to seek additional help.
“I’m really trying to make sure that my foundation is strong with Danielle’s Flowers,” Martená said.
She said she wants people to view her business as something they can use regularly and not just for occasions.
“I like to call myself Milwaukee’s personal florist,” Martená said. “I do have a couple of organizations that have accounts with my business and they just shoot me a message when they need an order to go out and the total just comes from their account.”
Her hope is to also branch into real estate, preparing bouquets for Realtors to give to their clients who just closed on a home.
“Some real estate agents may buy you a cute basket or a rug, but I would like to be a reference for a Realtor when they’re closing so they will have a special arrangement,” Martená said.
Showing compassion through flowers
Overall, Martená wants people to know flowers are for more than just weddings, funerals and birthdays. She wants to continue spreading the idea of love through flowers.
Last year, Martená gave away 150 free roses to Milwaukee residents on her birthday.
“The city of Milwaukee has gone through a lot and it can be really chaotic and the energy around the city can feel heavy,” Martená said. “I just want to uplift people through flowers and reminding them that they deserve flowers no matter what’s happening in their life.”
Walker said each time her daughter completes an order, it feels like she’s receiving a bouquet of flowers, too.
“Watching her ideas come to life and hearing about how those flowers bring joy, comfort and special moments to others makes it even more meaningful and fills my heart with so much pride and happiness,” Walker said.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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