Niwot Florist under new ownership

A quick perusal of Niwot Market is all it takes to notice a new aesthetic throughout the floral department. That’s because Niwot Florist has been purchased by Susy Tallman Shams, a Lafayette resident of 25 years. As of Aug. 1, Tallman Shams took over this locally loved flower shop and plans to run it along with her daughter, Nina Shams. Newly renamed Juniper & Twine, the shop implemented a total design and brand overhaul, including the name change and interior design updates, but Tallman Sham’s passion for flowers remains as steadfast as the previous owner’s, Jessica Wilson.

Tallman Shams received a tip from a longtime friend and colleague of Wilson that the owner was looking for a new challenge and wanted to sell the shop. Tallman Shams, who ran a catering company for years, had some experience working with flowers during catering gigs and felt that this could be a fun new project. “I’m extremely busy with other business commitments, but I absolutely love working with flowers and people and when opportunity knocks…well you know how that goes.”

Tallman Shams and her daughter trained for a full month with Wilson before officially taking over just one week ago. Nina Shams is a recent college graduate who plans to start her post-graduate job at a cancer retreat center in Hawaii in early 2020. She and her siblings grew up helping Tallman Shams with catering jobs, including design and floral arrangements. Tallman Shams praises her daughter’s natural talent for color and design and knows she’ll be a valuable asset to this new venture.

Tallman Shams felt even more confident that Juniper & Twine would be a success after meeting Bert, Alison, and Seth Steele, owners of the Niwot Market. “We realized what a blessing the support of the Market would be... One of the best parts of being at Niwot Market is the fact that arrangements, gifts, and stems are available even when we’re out. The Niwot Market family has been incredibly supportive through our transition and launch. My favorite part of all this has been getting to know Jessica, the former owner, and all the Market staff.”

In addition to selling floral arrangements, Tallman Shams has grand plans for Juniper & Twine. During the first year, Tallman Shams wants Juniper & Twine to find its place in the Niwot community and becoming an integral part of birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. But Tallman Shams doesn’t just set her sights on the day to day retail portion but looks towards the future of this local flower shop, “We love east Boulder County. Hopefully, in the next five years, we’ll build a robust local flower and gift shop that employs a dozen people!”

Juniper & Twine supports area businesses, including Kilt Farm, Aspen Moon Farm, Fresh Herb Company, and more. Tallman Shams plans on hosting classes at the market that will focus on a variety of topics from building terrariums to preserving edible flowers, and everything in between.

For more information, visit juniperandtwine.com.