Step inside Ann’s Florist & Coffee Bar on Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale’s main street, and you’ll realize you’ve landed somewhere special. What started as a plant shop in 1976—50 years ago—has morphed into one of South Florida’s most charming destinations that goes beyond floral arrangements.
Over the years, the third-generation family business has transformed into a lively gathering place, where the scent of fresh flowers and coffee now intermingles with the sound of shaking cocktails and champagne bottles popping. On any given day, you’ll see gals posing in front of the shop’s photo-worthy flower wall, while couples and friend groups sip coffee and nosh on French pastries on the sun-drenched terrace. On select evenings, live music fills the air as customers linger over floral-themed cocktails to watch the parade of people strolling down the busy boulevard.
You’ll always spot Ann’s creative director Kim Fuentes fashioning floral arrangements or helping customers navigate the store’s shelves of antiques, tableware, and unique gifts that she personally curates—while her daughter and current store owner, Taylor Fuentes, manages daily business operations (even jumping in to create floral arrangements when needed). Together, the mother-daughter duo is carrying on the legacy of family matriarch Ann Shaw as they celebrate 50 years in business—a milestone that leaves the 85-year-old founder in awe of what her namesake floral business has become. “I never really thought all those years ago about a legacy,” says Ann Shaw. “But I helped start a business that lasted 50 years, made lots of people’s celebrations more beautiful, and the business has continued to grow with each generation adding their mark and talents to create something really special.”
Ann’s Florist Blooms 50 Years Ago
Ann Shaw’s love for flowers blossomed at a young age. Growing up on a farm in Bardstown, Kentucky, she’d pick growing blooms and arrange her own bouquets. Her floral fantasies would come true later in life when she moved to Florida with her husband, Tom, and they opened Ann’s Greenhouse in Hollywood, Florida, in 1976. “I was known for offering unusual and beautiful foliage plants,” Ann says. Eventually, fresh flowers, and her distinct floral designs, became the main business.
Her daughter Kim grew up helping in the flower shop and remembers being spellbound by her mother’s floral imagination. “My mom was creating bouquets that were more like today’s aesthetic, back when most flower shops were making those stiff triangle arrangements,” Kim Fuentes says. “She always had an untaught artistic flair for flowers.”
How Ann’s Became A Fort Lauderdale Landmark
In 1992, Ann’s son, Buddy Shaw, opened the current florist location on Las Olas Boulevard. While he handled the business, Kim followed in her mom’s footsteps and became the lead floral designer in 2004. She now sources her floral inventory from six of the seven continents, and isn’t afraid to import unusual flowers or add unexpected whimsy to an order. “I not only inherited my mom’s natural ability for mixing colors and designing with scale, but I picked up skills from everyone who’s ever worked for us,” Kim says. “Working with my brother, I saw that we had a chance to grow what my mom started and worked so hard for.”…