WYANDOTTE, Mich. – A school-based flower shop in Wyandotte is now expanding its services nationwide.
Teddy's Flower Shop is located inside of Roosevelt High School on Eureka Road.
"We are full service. We do funeral work. We've done weddings. We've done baby showers, graduation parties," said Lindsey Sikorski, who runs the shop as a floral educator.
Sikorski took the job at Roosevelt High School in October 2017, and has been working to revitalize the operation.
"It's actually a huge passion. My mom had a florist for 22 years. I grew up in a florist," she said.
Sikorski has about 20 students who work within the shop, and there are 110 students within the school's botany program.
"The students find their niche, where they want to work. Some like to work here [inside of the shop] all of the time. Some like to work in the greenhouse, and some just want to do regular botany," said Sikorski.
Lauren Janice is a senior who has been part of the program since her sophomore year.
"I've always had a passion for flowers and working hands on. Doing this [working with Teddy's Flower Shop] is so much fun because you get to actually be hands on and see how your work affects others," said Janice.
Through the program, Janice became certified as a florist. She wants to become a radiologist, but is planning to use the skills she learned at Teddy's Flower Shop.
"I want to be out of high school and start my new career and everything, but I also want to stay in this and have this big family relationship at Teddy's Flower Shop. We always have fun spending time with Ms. Sikorski," said Janice.
The shop has been serving the community for decades, but it is now expanding its reach across the country. The shop has memberships with 1-800 Flowers and Teleflora.
"Even though it's students doing it, we can do something that a business can do. Other schools train in floral, but it doesn't have the business aspect side, and that's something we really work on," she said.
Sikorski got in contact with a former contact at Teleflora and the company is giving the school program a discounted rate, and is helping them with marketing. Sikorski said they still encourage clients to buy directly from their website to curb fees.
"I just want it to be a florist in this community that just serves the public and serves it the way it should be served," she said.
The high school is the only educational institution in the country to have a membership with Teleflora and 1-800 Flowers.
"We are smaller so maybe we can't take on the quantity at first, but hopefully we can get there," Sikorski said.
The shop is having a special Mother's Day event from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on May 11.