If you want something done right, do it yourself.
That’s what Christin Burda did when she opened her new San Juan Bautista business, The Flower Girl at 106-C Third St.
Burda, who lives in San Juan Bautista, is an event coordinator. She was having trouble finding a good florist for events, so she opened her own floral shop on Feb. 1.
“I’ve gotten the best reception from San Juan Bautista,” Burda said. “It’s just awesome. They haven’t had a floral shop in decades.”
Having her own flower shop brings all the pieces together for her event business.
She has done many events at Fox Creek Ranch, which has an Old West town and she plans to help out The Lemon Grove, which actually is a 26-acre lemon grove, just beyond Ridgemark Golf Course.
For 10 years Burda worked in the hospitality industry and was last employed at the 19th Hole in Tres Pinos. The couple that own Fox Creek Ranch also own the 19th Hole, and Burda took over the events side of the businesses three years ago. Their events include weddings, business events and horse-related competitions.
The floral shop took off right away. Mission San Juan Bautista and several city businesses have become her customers.
Although she had never been a florist before, Burda jumped into it with both feet. A woman who has decades of experience in the business has been her mentor.
“I’m learning,” Burda said, during an interview at her shop. “She has been invaluable to me. … I’ve gotten to where I have a pretty good package set up.”
Flowers sold at The Flower Girl are all locally grown in the Watsonville area. She also sells handmade cards by local artists.
“I wanted to help some other small businesses, too,” Burda said. “It’s great if we can help each other out.”
She’s also gotten help from a number of friends. “When I get crazy busy in the summertime I have some good help,” she said.
Her husband Greg Burda, who works for a major construction company, has been a big help, too. He installed the flower coolers and works as a bartender at weddings.
The floral shop is just one of the couple’s ventures in San Juan Bautista. One and a half years ago they bought La Casa Rosa at 107 Third St. They plan to turn it into a restaurant and an apartment. It may or may not house the floral shop as well.
The Burdas have completed the inside demoltion. The pink building was built in 1870 and for many years had been a restaurant.
“Everybody in town loved it,” Burda said. “There’s a lot of history there.”
She plans to cater food to other businesses in San Benito county. There are three that serve alcohol but no food, so there’s an opportunity there.”
She said she wants to serve food that is good but not overly expensive.
Burda, who moved to San Juan Bautista from Paicines, also lived in Hollister off and on since 1997. She has two children from a previous marriage: a son, 22, and a daughter 21.
Her daughter, who lives in Wyoming, just got engaged. So Burda will be coordinating her wedding, complete with flowers, of course.