Lansing floral business blooms for pair who opened during pandemic

Rachel Greco, Lansing State Journal
Updated ·2 min read
Sparrow Bloom owners (l. to r.) Kait Bibb and Becca Barnell have opened their first storefront in Lansing's Stadium District.
Sparrow Bloom owners (l. to r.) Kait Bibb and Becca Barnell have opened their first storefront in Lansing's Stadium District.

LANSING — The origin story behind the name of Kait Bibb and Becca Barnell's specialty floral shop, Sparrow Bloom, dates back at least four years before they decided to open the business together.

The longtime friends were living in different states then, and their decision to get matching tattoos — three Sparrows each in honor of each of their three children — was a tangible way to show their solidarity with each other.

In 2020, when Bibb, 34, and Barnell, 41, decided to open their Lansing-based floral business out of Bibb's home, the tattoos inspired their company's name.

Sparrow Bloom started small as a door-to-door floral design and delivery operation utilizing flowers Bibb was growing in her yard, as well as flowers from other local growers.

The business has been growing ever since and, in late July, Sparrow Bloom opened its first storefront in a 578-square-foot building off North Cedar Street. Bibb and Barnell will run the business there through December before moving to a larger space in Lansing's Stadium District.

Business growth amid a pandemic

Florial business Sparrow Bloom opened in late July in a 578-square-foot building at 316 N. Cedar St. The business will move to 505 E. Shiawassee St. later this year.
Florial business Sparrow Bloom opened in late July in a 578-square-foot building at 316 N. Cedar St. The business will move to 505 E. Shiawassee St. later this year.

Bibb said the COVID-19 pandemic prompted them to start their floral business.

"We decided to spread some joy when the world really needed it the most through flowers," she said.

Bibb was already growing flowers in her garden. When they started Sparrow Bloom, she planted more "and we started doing door-to-door deliveries from loved ones," she said.

While Bibb excelled with marketing the company on social media, Barnell, a special education teacher at Waverly Community Schools, focused on the floral design behind every bouquet and arrangement.

"We both have very different skill sets, which makes us a perfect team," Barnell said.

Eight delivery subscriptions grew to include more, then to providing floral designs and arrangements for weddings and teaching workshops. The business took over Bibb's yard and garage.

"Maybe we want a store,'" Bibb remembers saying one night in December while the pair was in downtown Lansing having dinner.

The two started looking for available storefronts shortly afterward.

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Moving to Lansing's Stadium District

The small building Sparrow Bloom has occupied at 316 N. Cedar St. since late July is a temporary home; the business will relocate in December to 505 E. Shiawassee St.

Formerly home to the Corner Bar & Grill, the approximately 1,600-square-foot space will offer Sparrow Bloom room it needs to accommodate clients, Barnell said.

"We're gonna have a consultation area for our brides that we meet with for weddings and will have a bigger retail space, a bigger workspace for us, and we'll hold workshops there," she said.

Learn more about Sparrow Bloom online at www.sparrowbloom.com. Visit the business Facebook page here.

Contact Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @GrecoatLSJ .

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Pair opens floral shop Sparrow Bloom in Lansing's Stadium District