About Bloom brigade
How Bloom Brigade Got Its Start
Bloom Brigade got its start in floral design in when a nurse caring for Carolyn’s husband needed help with bouquets for her Mother's Day weekend wedding. No florist wanted to take the job, so we did. Then came our kids’ and friends’ kids’ weddings, including a quite large one in which we got a full-immersion crash course in floral work and off we went!
The Owners
MEET CAROLYN WALKER
Carolyn (aka Clang) has a bachelor's degree in education from Purdue (go Boilermakers!). She has been following baseball her entire life and doing professional calligraphy for 38 years, as well as creative sewing and baking. Her attention to detail and artistic hand transforms the fine points into outstanding floral design work. She has the ability to be in tune with exactly what a bride or event planner has in mind down to the smallest detail.
MEET SUZAN KRAULAND
Suzan, with a bachelor’s degree from CMU and a MPH from Pitt and Health Care Ethics certification from Duquesne, has worked in aging and long term care for years — but has always had a passion for flowers, gardens, and gardening. She works with flower varieties and colors to develop the story that your flowers are going to tell on your event's day. Together with Clang, she provides the flower designs that clients envision.
The Brigade
MARIANNE CHAPAS BONFIELD
Marianne retired as a speech education teacher at Pittsburgh Public Schools. Chapas, as we call her, holds an undergraduate degree from Edinboro and M. Ed from Pitt. She is very active in the local Greek Orthodox Church community and pitches in on the day of events whenever she can.
JULIE KRUSZEWSKI
Julie has a bachelor’s degree in art education and a full time teaching job outside of Erie. She joins Bloom Brigade via I-79 and adds the spark that is needed days prior to and of the day of an event. Julie, who knows no strangers, views every arrangement as a work of art and loves to add unique touches, exemplifying Bloom Brigade's style.
ELIZABETH POPOVIC
Elizabeth has a degree from the University of Akron in design and fashion merchandising. She has over five years of floral industry experience working in a variety of shops. Elizabeth is a godsend to our clients and us by sharing her knowledge and experience by working part-time when we need her most.
We're Loved by Pittsburgh Brides!
The Studio
Bloom Brigade first moved into its studio in 2011. It started as a workshop to grow, work, and create beautiful flower arrangements for any type of event.
Since the beginning, we've seen our shop space as a 'studio' rather than a retail shop. We created a working studio where we focus completely on floral event design.
From the flowers in our garden, to the cut stems on the floor, we're dedicated and completely focused on creating beautiful work for you and your event.
The Garden
Since we arrived on Pittsburgh's Western Avenue, we have fostered a beautiful urban garden behind our studio. It is surrounded on each of its four sides, which helps the garden to grow quickly while protecting the flowers from overexposure.
The garden provides us with access to flowers we are unable to get commercially, adding special touches to our arrangements throughout the growing season.
We're also proud of the minimal trash from our studio due to our strict recycling and composting.
The Neighborhood
Bloom Brigade is located on the cross streets Western Ave and Allegheny West. Amidst a changing neighborhood, we're constantly inspired by great restaurants, cafes, small businesses, and renovations that continuously revitalize the area. We are also active in the community and participate regularly in Pittsburgh's Open Streets and house tours.