Meet Kait Bibb and Becca Barnell | Co-Owners

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kait Bibb and Becca Barnell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kait and Becca, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
In the summer of 2019, before Sparrow Bloom Co. was even a blip on our radar, we had planned to grow flowers to create lush bouquets straight from the garden for Becca’s son’s wedding the following year. Then, in May 2020, after being apart for over a month due to COVID-19, Sparrow Bloom Co. came to life! On our first night back together, we decided to start something beautiful and share flowers with our community when it seemed to need some joy the most.

Within an hour, we had a name, a logo, social media, and branding. It all fell into place like magic! We got our name from our matching sparrow tattoos that we got when we used to live miles apart. We both have three sparrows, each representing one of our three children.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
This journey both feels like it’s been so long and also like it just started yesterday. It hasn’t always been easy, and we really never thought we would be here, so a lot of it has been trial by fire and learning along the way. We both work other jobs as well, so finding balance can feel really hard at times, especially during the busyness of wedding season!

One thing that we draw our biggest inspiration from is our gardens! They have taught us so much, and it has translated over to our shop as well. For our designs, we first draw from our relatively small growing space, then reach out to other local growers with whom we’ve built a partnership, and finally, we’ll wholesale to fill in any gaps as needed. This ensures both a high-quality and unique floral experience. We not only do full-service weddings, but we’ve curated a really beautiful offering of pickup designs that can help stretch the budget and make flowers more accessible to couples.

That same philosophy has served us well in the store as well. We wanted to curate a place where people could come to buy unique gifts and items for themselves. Our first stop was thrifting and antiquing. It not only creates a unique aspect to our shop, but it’s also more environmentally friendly, much like our local flowers. Then, we source from local and small businesses, working really hard to find people and causes that we believe in and align with our brand, all while making it accessible to any budget when stepping inside the store. It’s been a huge feat, but it’s something we’re really proud of.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh, this is so much fun! We absolutely love helping our friends plan a fun day in town.

First up, we’d start the day with a delicious brunch at People’s Kitchen, where their lemon pancakes and mimosas are an absolute must-try. And, of course, a quick stop for some coffee at Strange Matter to fuel up for our shopping adventure!

Our shopping spree would take us to some of our all-time favorite shops like Vintage Junkies, Clean Refillery, A Novel Concept, Dear Ollie & Co., and Off Skate Vintage. We’d finish up with some treasure hunting at the thrift stores, because who can resist a good thrift store find?

For a chill afternoon filled with yummy drinks, we’d make our way to the Stadium District, where our shop is located. We’d hit up MP Social, Lansing Brewing Co., Michigrain, and The Shuffled for some incredible cocktails. Maybe even take a leisurely walk on the River Trail or go kayaking.

And speaking of must-visit places, Horrocks is a local legend that’s a unique blend of a farmers market and a greenhouse with added bonuses like a bar garden, food trucks, live music, and even a pizza oven. It’s a one-stop-shop for everything you need!

Lansing has so many delicious dining options for lunch or dinner. But when it comes to our local favorites, you just can’t go wrong with these fantastic spots: Acapoco, Zoobie’s, Kewpees, Olympic Broil, Veg Head, Dagwood’s, and Harry’s. Seriously, they’ve got you covered for a delicious meal you won’t want to miss!

Of course, a trip to Lansing wouldn’t be complete without a visit to MSU’s campus. We love people watching and walking around campus. It’s beautiful all year round, but especially in the spring and fall.

As much as we love a fun-filled friend’s weekend, we’ll be cozyed up on a couch by nine with a generous glass of wine, watching cheesy rom-coms.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are numerous incredible individuals who have played a significant role in our journey, and, of course, our families have been huge supporters from day one. If we were to highlight someone outside of our families, it would definitely be Kait’s neighbor, Bob Rose. He has been enthusiastically championing our cause in front of rooms filled with influential people, cheering us on during our late-nights design weddings in the garage, and encouraging us to open a storefront. Remarkably, he even allowed us to take over his backyard to expand our gardens!

Website: https://www.sparrowbloom.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparrowbloom.co/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sparrowbloom.co/

Image Credits
https://www.kaylaturpin.com https://www.instagram.com/kelseypasma https://www.laurencrawfordphotography.com https://www.jacquelyngenevievephoto.com https://www.kayannaphoto.com https://rosyandshaun.com https://lindseybillings.com