DULUTH — That powder-blue vintage truck puttering around town with flowers in the back belongs to Emily Vos.
The school counselor was looking for something extra during summer vacation, and after spotting cute old trucks on Instagram and Pinterest, she had it. She found and bought a 1958 Ford F100, and the Lupine Meadows Flower Truck was born.
Clint Austin / Duluth News Tribune
The mobile flower biz offers zinnias, sunflowers, peonies and much more from Vos’ garden as well as outsourced goods from local growers Duluth Flower Farm and Blackstone Botanicals.
This seemed fun and was inexpensive to start, Vos recalled, and she wasn’t wrong. She kept the truck’s paint job — and its scratches, rough spots and dents.
Her husband built a cedar rack for the bed; she added an umbrella and galvanized buckets, and obtained her transient merchant license.
Clint Austin / Duluth News Tribune
She likes meeting with other female business owners, and she’s found the sweet spot in caring for her vintage vehicle, Frankie. “He is a sweet old baby-blue truck that I gently wash and talk nice to. In return, he fires right up and we drive slowly,” Vos said.
- What: Lupine Meadows flower truck
- When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 24
- Where: Duluth Studio Market, 512 N. 45th Ave. E.
- More info:
https://bit.ly/3R4TlCS
Vos took time to share about how she grew her business.
Q: Why flowers?
A: I’ve always been attracted to the beauty of flowers. My mom cared for a lot of houseplants and grew flowers during the summer. I remember how content she looked while caring for them, and I loved having the colors surround our home.
Clint Austin / Duluth News Tribune
When I was a young adult, I’d visit natural spaces with flower gardens and plenty of trees. Now at my home, I decorate with plants. My flower garden is overcrowded and a little wild; it’s not perfect, but definitely entertaining.
Clint Austin / Duluth News Tribune
Q: Your truck is 64 years old. Any idiosyncrasies?
A: This truck has an amazing parade horn!
Q: Tell us about the name.
A: “Lupine Meadows Flower Truck” was chosen as a name because my family agreed it’s a reminder of some of our most treasured family vacations out to Teton National Park.
Lupine Meadows is a trailhead that allows hikers and climbers to access multiple peaks. As a family, we’ve camped in Garnet Canyon and made it to the lower saddle of the Grand Teton to have lunch with the marmots.
Lupines also decorate the North Shore early in the season, so this business name was fun to choose.
Q: Who’s buying your flowers, how often, for whom are they purchasing?
Clint Austin / Duluth News Tribune
A: I often ask people if the custom floral design they created is a gift for someone or a treat for themselves. I love listening to the stories people tell of who they are buying for.
This summer, a man and his preschool-age daughter made a bouquet and then she said this was a gift for Mama.
Clint Austin / Duluth News Tribune
That little girl was also wise enough to pick a single-stem sunflower for herself.
Some stories involve a gift for a grandmother in the hospital, a sister battling depression, a lonely neighbor who physically can’t tend to her own gardens anymore, a dad who created two very different bouquets for his children with two very different personalities.
My favorite response is the young woman who says her creation is for herself. I admire people who know what brings them happiness and believe they’re worth it.
Clint Austin / Duluth News Tribune
Q: Any takeaways from Year 1 of your business?
A: Mostly what I need to improve. I’m not a social media wizard, but it helps to promote events. I’ve been so amazed at local business owners that want to partner: Bailey Builds, Sisu Beauty & Co., Flagship, and the list goes on. That has been a very pleasant surprise, and it encourages me to try new ideas.
Also, people are thankful when they have access to high-quality flowers and the ability to create. It’s very different from buying something pre-arranged.
Q: What’s next for Lupine Meadows?
A: Next season, the flower truck will be available for rent for private events, such as bridal showers, weddings, birthdays and corporate events. I also hope to offer affordable bulk orders for high-end flowers and greens for DIY projects.
Clint Austin / Duluth News Tribune
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