learning sf: Rachel from Church Street Flowers

Welcome to the first of an on-going series, learning sf, where I profile a Bay Area local. Today I'm featuring Rachel Pizzica, one of the three owners of Church Street Flowers. I stopped into the small storefront and was lucky enough to grab fifteen minutes with Rachel before a stream of customers flowed in and out, selecting flowers and scheduling delivery of arrangements. Here are some pictures I took in the shop and words of San Fransisco wisdom from Rachel. 

[Our learning sf guide, Rachel]

I noticed you, Stephanie and Brianna [the other owners] are all from different areas of the country- what brought you to the Bay Area?

My husband, then boyfriend, was in culinary school here, but I’ve been in love with San Francisco since visiting with family in seventh grade. So I just happened to fall in love with a guy who was in school out here and after college moved out and got a job.

Were you already working for flower shops? What drew you to be involved with flowers?

I used to think that in college was when I decided. I liked that I would get to be artistic and work with people. But friends remember, when I was in fourth grade, I used to say I wanted to own a flower shop. When I moved to San Francisco, I interned at another flower shop and was a hostess. I’ve worked in several flower shops but this [Church Street Flowers] was my first design job.

When you became owners, Church Street Flowers had been open for a decade and you were all employees. Tell me about how that happened.

It had been a flower shop for over 20 years, we all worked for the shop and took over almost three years ago. Wow, almost three years ago!

What do you think sets Church Street Flowers apart?

This is an (almost) all-women shop and we’re all young. We’re involved in the scene in San Francisco so we have our ear to the ground. We go to the flower market ourselves at 3am and get the flowers ourselves. We’re the ones talking to the customers and designing the arrangements. Because the process is so fluid, we’re able to really create something unique for the customer.

[Church Streets Flowers has won many awards, including Best Flower Shop multiple times from the Guardian]