Making The Switch: How We Are Incorporating New Ideas Into Our Existing Business

Oct 1, 20203 min read

Wow it's been quite some time! Our last blog post was pre-covid, which seems like a lifetime ago - and man how things have changed. Our mobile camper bar, like most other small businesses, had to make a lot of adjustments over the past few months (I won't bore you with the details but it was a whirlwind to say the least). All in the midst of this, we had been working behind the scenes since fall of 2019 to expand our business, and were set to launch in (you guessed it,) March 2020. We imported a foreign 90s mini truck from overseas and had spent months working on renovating it. New paint, new features, practicing how to drive on the opposite side of the car....you know, just the normal daily work routine.

The concept we envisioned was as we here like to say "same same but different". It was still a mobile business, and still intended to have a tap system, but different in that it was going to tackle a whole new realm of an industry and be a more versatile of a truck. Our dreams for this little guy was to be a mobile flower truck while offering coffee or cocktails on tap (depending on the time of day). It would house plants, dried & fresh florals (with a build-your-own bouquet option), pampas bundles, and bespoke accessories. We spent months working with wholesalers, florists, and other industry professionals, and partnered with local shops and markets to schedule pop-ups starting at the start of Spring. We were all set to go - ready to launch Roots Mobile Greenhouse, and just like that, the entire world shut down.

DRINK COFFEE. BUY FLOWERS. GET HAPPY.

r o o t s g r e e n h o u s e

I knew we had to make a decision on how to launch our new business (I was not ready to wait covid out). So although it wasn't in the game plan, I redesigned the website and launched an online retail shop. And now, almost 6 months later, that shop is our biggest hit, and we fit in pop-ups with local businesses when we can. We've learned a ton in the past few months and it's been so fun diving into a new world of creative work and searching for items to offer that I would want in my own home.

So why did we decide to make the switch?

Truthfully, the bar was causing us a lot of anxiety. While it looks pretty on the outside, there are gas tanks, regulators, splitters, tap lines and 50+ lb kegs inside, all which need to be set up and monitored very precisely or you'll run into technical issues. The schedule was very intense on top of our corporate jobs, and after 2 years we just weren't finding the joy in it anymore. However, we love the idea of a mobile business and love the brand and community we built, so wanted to expand on the idea we had started. Taking the things we loved from our bar business and incorporating new ideas, Roots was born. I have such a passion for home styling, curating, + designing (especially with bespoke items), so when deciding how to approach our new business venture, I wanted it to encompass all of those things. Having a truck that can travel (and now an online shop) vs. a standstill storefront gives us the capability to reach a broader range of people and get out and about more. This fit just feels so right, and we are grateful for how we got here and have learned so so much along the way.