Nayelli Valdemar started her Mercedes flower shop business in 2023 with her motto of uno solo puede.

Valdemar is indeed proving “one can do it.” The Mercedes Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated a ribbon cutting at her business to commemorate the expansion of the Funky Flower Shop. Valdemar’s shop at 601 N. Vermont Avenue, Unit 106, is a lively place with a 20-something entrepreneur who knows her business “inside out.” The Mercedes native and former H-E-B floral department manager struck out on her own two years and hasn’t looked back.

Valdemar was jubilant on September 16 when the chamber visited Funky Flower for the remodeling and expansion ribbon cutting. She is a Mercedes Chamber of Commerce member and having family, friends, and fellow business owners on hand to celebrate her expansion made the event all the better.

“I’m so happy to see all of the expansions happening around me,” Valdemar said of the growth being seen in Mercedes. “I’m very excited to contribute to all of that even if it’s in a small way.”

Valdemar has doubled the square footage on her business that’s located on Vermont with Expressway 83 just a few hundred steps away. While now operating out of 400-square-feet may not seem like much, it does in the world of a florist who specializes in individualizing her orders to give customers that something extra they won’t get with corporate florists.

“Being competitive, being consistent and offering quality products,” Valdemar said of the keys to her success. “You can’t grow if people don’t believe in the stuff you sell.’’

Getting A Better Look

Valdemar spoke in mid-September of “the momentum I have” and how her shop’s expansion will help to keep it going.

Customers will have better visualizations of Funky Flower’s products and offerings with a bigger lobby and direct viewing access to a cooler of flowers. Valdemar described what she called the destinations found in her shop. The added space allows customers improved views of her displays of gift baskets, plant arrangements and a cooler filled with bigger floral presentations.

“Your customers can see what you have on a website, but sometimes they want to see what something looks like in person,” she said. “People want a better visual look. It’s easier to sell a client of what I’m selling if I have room for displays.”

The rush of customers on holidays and special occasions like weddings, anniversaries and quinceaneras will now be easier to handle with the added lobby space at her shop. Valdemar says the Rio Grande Valley’s regional culture adds an extra element to floral sales in the area.

“The RGV has tight-knit communities,” she said. “We like giving gifts and people as part of their religion often give flowers to honor and remember loved ones and to important figures in their religion.”

Looking Ahead

The September 16 event at Funky Flower highlighted the benefits of being a member of the Mercedes Chamber of Commerce.

Valdemar says she “thoroughly enjoys” being a chamber member and spoke of the benefits of being a part of the organization.

“I create relationships with people in my community who have a growth mindset,” she said. “Anyone who has the ability to join their local chamber should do so. They will find so many services and support from being a member.”

Going forward, Valdemar is ready for the busy holiday season ahead and having the additional square footage to handle the rush of customers.

“My customers have been responding very positively to the expansion,” she said. “It’s going to really help during the holidays.”

- Ric Cavazos

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