The story of Poupata did not begin with the opening of a flower shop, but much earlier. Kačka and Barča have known each other since high school. After that, their paths split for a while, but they met again while working in another flower shop. That was where they decided to start their own business.
“I knew from the age of sixteen that I wanted something of my own,” says Kačka. “I didn’t want to work for someone else. And when Barča and I met again, it just made sense.” They complemented each other, understood one another, and decided to give it a try.
The name came naturally. It was based on their first visual identity as well as how they saw themselves at the time. “We liked peonies and buds, so Poupata came from the logo we created,” explains Barča.
At the same time, it also had a personal meaning. “We were opening the flower shop at around twenty-two, and everyone kept telling us how young we were. It felt like it actually fit us – that we really were little buds,” adds Kačka.
At the beginning, the young florists imagined their dream in great detail. “We planned absolutely everything – what kind of table we would have, what colors, how it would look. We spent a lot of time on Pinterest and worked on the website.” But then the reality of running a business set in.
“We didn’t think at all about things like business registration, banking, payment terminals… all those things no one tells you about at school,” describes Barča. Alongside creativity, they had to deal with finances, the right timing for leaving their jobs, and finding suitable premises. Starting a flower shop is not just about talent and ideas, but also about many practical decisions.
When the topic of their first bouquet came up, both of them laughed. Barča’s story is almost fairytale-like: “I remember being about eight years old, going to a meadow, picking flowers, and selling them to the neighbors.”
Kačka associates her first bouquet with school practice: “My first official bouquet was during training – an absolute disaster. Orange gerberas, green santini, and leaves all around.” Even thanks to these beginnings, they knew they did not want to create flowers like everyone else.
“We try to arrange what others don’t,” says Barča. “We use things like ornamental garlic, matthiola, ranunculus, lots of eustoma, clematis, and unusual anthuriums. We also like a meadow style. Customers often tell us we have flowers they’ve never even seen before,” she laughs. Their best sellers, however, are eustomas and chrysanthemums, mainly because of their longevity.
They also consider a personal approach very important. “You can tell the flower shop is ours. When it’s your business, you put a completely different kind of love into it than when you work for someone else,” explains Kačka. “When I arrange a bouquet for customers, I ask them how they are. And they’re happy that someone takes the time to talk to them. We try to accommodate people. When they want something special, we get it, even if it often costs us more time and money,” she adds.
Today, Poupata is not only a successful flower shop but has also decorated dozens of weddings. They most often prepare bridal bouquets and boutonnieres. For larger weddings, they add arches, table decorations, and flowers for mothers, bridesmaids, or witnesses.
“The most expensive wedding decoration cost around 50–60 thousand CZK. It took place at Villa Dom Carli and was entirely in an Italian Tuscan style. There were lemons everywhere because the groom’s nickname was ‘lemon,’” revealed Barča.
At the same time, they admit that due to running the flower shop, they cannot fully dedicate themselves to weddings. That is why they carefully select projects that match their style. “In the first year, we had no idea whether weddings would take off, but they quickly started doing really well.”
Brides often come to them with inspiration from Pinterest, but Poupata does not want to simply copy ideas from the internet. “We want to know the wedding venue, the style, and the overall atmosphere of the day. The goal is for the final bouquet and decorations to suit the specific bride,” explains Kačka.
They admit that bouquets in a round ‘bonbon’ style are not their cup of tea. “Once a customer sent us a photo of a bouquet typical of the past era. A round bouquet of red roses, baby’s breath, green leaves all around, and most importantly, nothing sticking out. We knew right away we wouldn’t make that, so we suggested something different instead,” says Barča.
On Poupata’s social media, we noticed their flower subscription service. It works simply. Customers subscribe to a package of flowers for a certain period, and then either pick them up in person or have them delivered. “We offer three different types of subscriptions. The smallest one is for three months. People subscribe to three bouquets and can order them whenever they like,” explains Kačka.
The demand for flower subscriptions is higher than they expected. “The annual subscription has been especially popular. People often buy it as a birthday gift, for example for their mom. It’s more выгодné. Instead of one bouquet for 1500 CZK, they get three bouquets throughout the year,” says Barča.
Flower shop, weddings, subscriptions – but that’s still not all. Poupata truly love their work, so they also started organizing workshops. “The first one was a Christmas workshop focused on wreath making. Today we have a group of customers who attend workshops regularly several times a year because they enjoy it and can relax while doing it,” describes Kačka.
Participants most often take home a bouquet and a wreath for the door or table. “We even organized one workshop as a bachelorette party. The bride and her bridesmaids came to make wreaths, which they let dry and then used at the wedding,” recalls Barča.
Owning a flower shop is not just about arranging beautiful bouquets, but also about organizing work, managing orders, and communicating with people. The girls agree that this variety is what they enjoy most about their work. In the future, they would like to move into a larger space. And maybe one day open another branch.
“My friends keep asking when we’ll open Poupata in their cities because they don’t want to travel to Pardubice. But we’re a bit afraid of hiring new people. When the shop isn’t theirs, they might not put 100% into their work like we do. We’ll see, maybe one day we’ll take the leap,” admits Kačka. And at St. Gabriel, we are rooting for them.
We are proud to be part of the inspiring story of Poupata. They have been our customers from the very beginning. “St. Gabriel was recommended to us by friends, and we are very satisfied. You explained everything to us at the start and showed us how things work. We appreciate the option to order smaller quantities of flowers, which is not standard with other e-shops. For small flower shops like ours, it’s a big advantage,” concludes Barča.
The story of Poupata shows that dreams of owning a flower shop don’t have to remain just on paper or Pinterest. When you have the desire to create, the energy to fully commit, and someone you connect with both personally and professionally, an idea can quickly turn into a place people love to return to.
A strong support system also plays an important role on this journey. A reliable supplier who supports you in the beginning, helps you navigate the process, and adapts as you grow. Thanks to this, you can focus on what matters most – your creativity, your customers, and your own style.
Register in our St. Gabriel e-shop and gain access to a wide range of plants, flowers, and decorations for florists.
