Set to blossom April 17 is the latest addition to West Seattle's core of unique businesses, Fleurt, a florist at the corner of California Ave. S.W. and S.W. Oregon Street. The new owner Sam C. said she waited for the location for some time and really only got going in earnest on getting the shop ready in the last few weeks. But that doesn't take into account her wealth of experience in the floral industry where she has worked on both the wholesale and retail sides of the business.

CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO SEE MORE IMAGES
The name Fleurt,"Is a little bit of a play on words," Sam said, "It's a little bit of my personality, it's little firty, a little cheeky and it's French (Fleur meaning flower), and having come from Australia and a european background that I have a european, old flower shop kind of a feel here but with a modern twist. I don't do FTD flowers here. I have a very different approach to flower arrangements. It's a little wild."

She has had the concept for around "Seven or eight years," and as she has seen the Junction evolve over the last few years felt that there was a real niche for it. "Real flowers are a passion of mine," Sam said, "so it was just a matter of the right location and the right timing."

The arrangements offered through Fleurt will all be custom made with free delivery in West Seattle (bounded by Roxbury on the south and Pigeon Point on the east) with a $10 charge outside the immediate area. Greater distances are requested to call for a quote.

The shop's flower arrangements are as fresh as possible, "They are all fresh, all unique. We go to the markets daily." They are often at the flower markets when they open at 5 AM to get the best flowers and it's a competitive place. Fleurt will also work with local growers for their products.
Sam said that when she sees particularly flowers it's still a breathtaking moment for her, "Absolutely...It's inspiring because every flower is different and unique."

Beyond cut flowers, shoppers will find a few potted flowers, gifts, soaps, jewelry, unique vases often gleaned from estate sales, and "because of my travels I've been able to pick up products from unique companies or one-off craftsmen and that's a reflection of all the products I have here. You will not see any of the products I have here, anywhere else," Sam said.

Getting the business off the ground, while it came together quickly, was the end result of going through "thousands of saved websites and favorites I've collected, magazine clippings and putting it all together because I've designed everything that's in here," Sam explained.

"We've repurposed a lot of the wood, and we've done a lot of the work ourselves, but its just natural. It's airy, it's bright, it's fresh. It's what we're all about."

The phone number at Fleurt is 937-1103.