Bloom That’s goal is to make sending gifts of love and appreciation a lot easier and more prevalent. California natives David Bladow and Matthew Schwab started the company in 2013 after both experiencing frustration while trying to send flowers to their girlfriends. The online concept began developing in David’s San Francisco apartment on Valentine’s Day with a stock of about a thousand roses. That day, he sold one hundred bouquets in an hour. Bloom That has since been called the “Uber for flowers,” providing customers with a quick and user-friendly way of delivering bouquets and other small gifts to loved ones, clients, and co-workers.
Bloom That expanded to New York in 2015. The company guarantees a ninety-minute on-demand delivery to select portions of San Francisco and New York, as well as nationwide shipping. I met Dana Faello, the general manager for the New York branch, while planning an event at Bene Rialto. She explained that part of what makes Bloom That special is the carefully curated list of options. There are usually only six seasonal on-demand bouquets at any time, meaning that users are not overwhelmed when selecting flowers. The app also sends status updates for the delivery. The company prioritizes local and sustainable blooms whenever possible - during the winter, New York receives many of its flowers from California.
I was speaking to Dana only a year after the New York office opened, a time which the company spent in what Dana called “scrappy start-up mode.” She related the months spent working in a production office in Union Square, “building and growing.” Luckily, through the app Pivotdesk, which pairs up startups and companies with extra space, Bloom That discovered Bene Rialto. Dana described it as a perfect fit: “The aesthetics of fashion brands and the flower business are very similar.”
Aside from making the process of gift-giving a lot easier, Bloom That stands out from other florists and delivery companies thanks to its “irreverent and cheeky” voice. Dana explained that the company is devoted to embracing life’s little moments, no matter how obscure, including Best Friends Day arrangements in June and “Roses and rosé” to celebrate summer. Succulents are always available for those who prefer longevity and minimalism to color and petals. Bloom That has also started offering add-ons to their bouquets that veer away from the traditional chocolates and teddy bears: For Fourth of July, the website had packets of sparklers, pumpkins were made available for Halloween (with witty “cruelty-free stickers” that made carving unnecessary), and on Mother’s Day, Adam Mansbach’s book Go the Fuck to Sleep was listed as an add-on. “We do anything to make people laugh,” Dana said.
I was happy to learn that along with corporate clients (for whom Bloom That often does “Bloom Bars,” allowing guests to make their own bouquets) and individuals, Bloom That does a lot of work with small businesses, who use them as a personal florist for their store. Dana believes that the company is a great resource for local businesses because it offers a good price point and a quick and easy process. “Technology isn’t going anywhere, so let’s use it.” After a pause, she added, “I love the idea that we’re helping people be thoughtful.”