“Abuela!” shouted the middle-aged white man from across the street. No, that is not his grandmother he is calling out to, but rather 61-year-old Fiona Sanchez who is known as everyone’s abuela in this part of town. She stands on the corner of Kings Highway, in Brooklyn, everyday from 8 until 4, selling her magnificent flowers. Her flower stand is the brightest and liveliest one in the whole neighborhood. Her neon green apron, that she wears everyday, reads Fiona’s Flowers but the locals call the stand, Abuela’s shop. There is an ever present chair next to the shop, but Fiona can never be found sitting in it. She is always hustling and bustling about, talking with customers about their personal lives or teaching about the flowers. Every Friday she gives out a free flower to those that pass by, from the flower of the month collection.
When I first walked over to introduce myself Mrs. Sanchez was in the middle of multiple tasks, teaching someone about the details of one flower while wrapping flowers for another couple who kept smiling at each other. She introduced herself as Fiona Sanchez. She said, “Darling, you can call me Fiona or you can call me Abuela but please please don’t call me Mrs. Sanchez, that is my mother-in-law.”
Mrs. Sanchez has a small frame, standing at 4’ 10”, but her heart is enormous. Each flower Fiona sells comes with a card explaining where the flower is from and a few other facts about it. It also comes with a label that reads, “a flower a day keeps the doctor away.” She wraps each flower with a gentle touch and gives over the bouquet with such tender care. “Every person is different and has their own background and story. The same can be said about each flower,” said Fiona. “I know my flowers, the secret is knowing my customers,” she added in a whisper that only I could hear. “Abuela treats both the flowers and the customers like family,” said Mark, a regular, “she matches the flower to the person.”
Fiona had fallen in love with flowers back when she lived in a small town in Ecuador where wild flowers were abundant. She took out multiple books from her local library to learn about the many different species of plants. When Mrs. Sanchez came to America at the age of 23 she decided that, “this country is the land of opportunity, I will do what I always wanted to do, I will open this shop, sell my flowers, and teach about the uniqueness of each one.”
Twice a week her husband Marcos comes to help with her with her shop. Mrs. Sanchez has twin daughters who are both married and live in the neighborhood, as well as five beautiful grandchildren. The back of her shop is plastered with pictures of her family members and her customers. Its warm, welcoming, and full of life. “Flowers are a sign of life,” Fiona can often be heard saying, “a sign of springtime and of renewal. Every time I plant a flower and watch it grow, I feel like I’m a part of something bigger than myself. Spreading that feeling with others is what really keeps me going. I love what I do because it’s who I am.”
