In an itty-bitty storefront on Eddy Street between Taylor and Jones, you'll now find Ana Mia Flower Studio.
Owner Ana Planic says it's a studio, not a shop, because everything she does is made to order — whether it's months in advance for a major special occasion or through a quick chat on the spot for an arrangement on the go.
"I need a couple of minutes to make you a bouquet," she said of her process for drop-ins. "That way it's prettier and something you really want. That's really important."
Planic, who lived at Hyde and Geary until recently, started the business about a year ago from home. Despite her success growing a home business, she searched high and low for quite a while to find an affordable space that could lend the professionalism the business deserved — especially given her drive to meet clients face-to-face to absorb the idea of what they desire, she said. With help from both the Tenderloin Economic Development Project and Urban Solutions, they found the miniature shop she now calls home.
"I think this is meant to be," she said while watering and arranging plants around the space.
Photos: Ana Mia Flower Studio
For the 29-year-old who's witnessed two wars in Serbia, flowers have always been a big part of her life, Planic said. Her grandmother has beautiful gardens back home, she explained, and whenever she was sad, her grandmother would take her to one and tell her to 'focus on the beauty."
In addition to bringing smiles to her clients faces, Planic hopes to bring positive change to the entire neighborhood. With its location just outside Union Square, the Tenderloin should be the most beautiful parts of the city, she said, and she believes that new businesses like hers sprouting up will bring more money and beauty to the area.
Looking beyond her immediate surroundings, Planic says she's supporting other small business by purchasing all of her flowers — organic and freshly-cut every morning — from small local farms through the San Francisco Flower Mart. And her biggest goal for the business is making enough money to begin donating a percentage of her profits to charity. With a background in nursing newborns with special needs, she's most interested in donating to programs that focus on babies with disabilities and cancers like lymphoma.
Ana Mia Flower Studio is open from roughly 10am to 5pm Mondays through Fridays. Orders big and small can be placed in person at 237 Eddy St. or over the phone (415-734-1461). Costs for her custom-made arrangements range greatly based on budget and desires, Planic said. And, if you stop by and she's not there, she's likely out delivering an order. While Planic has two sisters who love to lend a hand as much as possible, it's generally a one-woman show.
