BUFFALO, N.Y. — Each Monday, 2 On Your Side introduces you to a Buffalo City Shaper -- someone who is part of the city's resurgence. This week, 2 On Your Side's Kelly Dudzik shows us how a South Buffalo florist is growing her business in a newly rehabbed building.
This week's City Shaper just moved her business to the Shea's Seneca building in South Buffalo.
April Spencer took her high school internship experience and turned it into her career.
"I did 150 hours for free with a flower shop in Niagara-Wheatfield, Flowers by Diane, and it's been with me ever since," says Spencer.
In 2010, a cousin asked Spencer to do her flowers for her.
"She was like, April, I don't know anybody, please just do my flowers and I'm like, yeah, it'll be fun to get back into it, you know? So, I did their flowers, and then my other cousin was like you have to do my flowers, and then a friend of theirs said, hey, would you be willing to do mine?" says Spencer.
That's when I Do Weddings Florist was born.
"I did that for about eight years and then re-branded when I signed the letter of intent for this because I didn't want to be niched into weddings only with a storefront," says Spencer.
Spencer's storefront for April Spencer Floral Design is in the Shea's Seneca building in South Buffalo. Schneider Development just transformed it into new apartments, a banquet space and kitchen, Bottle Rocket Beer Reserve, and the future homes of Public Espresso and Cantina 62.
"It is incredible. I really love every single one of my neighbors. I feel like we just mesh really well. We're all very complimentary to each other. They're incredible people. They're all amazing entrepreneurs, and I feel lucky to be in their company," says Spencer.
"What is your vision for this neighborhood in South Buffalo?" asked Dudzik.
"The vision, which is wonderful, it's my neighborhood. I live one-hundred yards away, is just life. I mean, there's always been life on Seneca Street. I've always loved Seneca Street. The life may not have been, you know, exactly what you wanted it to be, but there was always energy on this street. Now to get it just an excited energy, and people walking and exercising again and just everybody out, you have traffic all day long, I people watch all day long, it's wonderful," says Spencer.
Spencer also helped start the South Buffalo Farmers Market. It runs in Cazenovia Park from June through September on Sundays.
If you would like to nominate someone you know to be a City Shaper, just send Kelly an email.