ABILENE, TX – The shop opened in December, 2020, and features a gelato and coffee bar, a sprawling sitting area with tables and chairs for large or small groups, and retail items for sale including home goods, Bible study books, and beauty products. To the left of the entrance, a fireplace and sofa offer a cozy study or conversation space. Behind the sofa, wall art carries the phrase: “Can’t buy love, but you can buy me flowers & gelato.”
The shop was certainly made with lots of love. A few years ago, Rachel had two miscarriages in the span of 9 months. Both girls had the same middle name: Florence. Rachel had two daughters before these miscarriages, and in 2019 she had a son, a miracle baby. She said 2019 was a year of rest, as she focused on her children rather than the many business ideas she often dreamed about.
“I’m very much the dreamer and I have all these creative ideas,” Rachel said. “And my husband is the realist who keeps me grounded.”
At the start of 2020, she suggested to her husband that they open a floral pop-up shop made from an old horse trailer. To her surprise, he agreed and they bought a trailer to renovate by the end of that week. The business launched in June, 2020 and by the end of the summer, Rachel was overwhelmed with floral requests. They needed a second fridge in their kitchen and they kept the air conditioner blasting to shield the blooms from the August heat.
“We needed to either grow or stop this,” Rachel said. “We really prayed a lot and felt like the Lord was saying ‘This is it. Go. Do this.’”
They searched for a location, and discovered the space in the SoDA District fit their needs perfectly. Micah pitched the idea of serving gelato as a way to give customers a reason to stay and linger rather than pop in and out for flowers. Rachel’s friend and local chef, Sydney Dillard, took on the task of creating the gelato, including the namesake honey and fig flavor.
“I didn’t know if Abilene was ready to try a kind of crazy, out-there flavor,” Rachel said.
But the flavor has proved to be a hit along with their other options: dairy-free coffee, pistachio, lemon sorbet, dark chocolate, and salted caramel. Guests can also order a french press of coffee or an affogato, a scoop of gelato topped with a shot of espresso. For florals, Florence Posies features a modern style and offers posy bouquets for purchase, custom orders, wedding florals, and group workshops.
