BROUGHT TO YOU BY
PROFILING LOCAL WOMEN AT WORK By Rebecca Wright
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Jill St.Louis . . . Living The Sweet Life
hen it comes to special celebrations, like Valentine’s Day or birthdays, floral bouquets are usually a go-to gift. However, a local business owner is offering customizable bouquets that have nothing to do with flowers. “I make custom-made candy bouquets for all occasions, including birthdays, thinking of you, anniversary, sympathy, thank you and any special holiday,” indicates Jill St.Louis, Owner of BudzBeanz Candy Bouquets & More. This includes any chocolate, candy, bags of potato chips, or any other treat or snack that can fit on a stick. “Valentine’s Day and Easter are my busiest times for orders,” she says. “My most popular bouquets are my Birthday Number Balloon bouquets. I make a bouquet up with the person’s favourite treats, then add the numbers for their birthday. They are very popular!” Operating out of her home in LaSalle, St.Louis opened her business in January 2021. Over the years, she had made bouquets for friends and family, just for fun, and really enjoyed making them. Then, with the encouragement of a good friend who said she should start her own business, she decided to go for it. All of the bouquets are custom made and St.Louis has never made two that are the same. “People let me know what chocolate, candy, chips, and sometimes pop, they want in the bouquet, and I put it all together in one bouquet,” she describes. “It’s so much fun for me to be creative and come up with different arrangements for every bouquet.” As mentioned her most popular sellers are the birthday bouquets with number balloons, but many people purchase her bouquets as a sympathy gift. “It’s a different alternative to flowers and usually brings a smile to someone’s face during a difficult time,” she explains. “I’ve also had large orders for various businesses as a thank you for their employees.” And of course, for Valentine’s Day gift ideas, St.Louis believes her bouquets are a little more entertaining and colourful than just a plain box of chocolates. “They are perfect to give to anyone you love,” she adds, including a child, spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend. “They are great for any age and everyone loves them, especially when all of their favourite treats are in the bouquets.”
Jill St.Louis holds up one of her custommade Valentine’s Day bouquets in her home in LaSalle, where she runs her business. One of her popular items, a Birthday Number Balloon bouquet, is also pictured. Photo by Rebecca Wright.
Her business name — BudzBeanz Candy Bouquets & More — is a combination of the nicknames of her children when they were little (now 15 and 17 years old). “My son’s nickname was Budz and my daughter’s was Beanz,” St.Louis points out. “Their picture is on my logo. I wanted something that was not only meaningful to me, but also something that was fun and different.” St.Louis has always had an entrepreneurial spirit and previously had a business teaching baby sign language classes, called Tiny Signers, for 12 years. “I took a break for a few years and during that time I still really had the desire to have something I could call my own and that I loved doing,” she states. “I think it’s important, as women, and especially moms, that we take time for ourselves and in the process, do something that we love.” Not only does she enjoy making her bouquets, delivering them is her favourite part! (Note: pickup is also available) “Seeing the smiles on people’s faces is a wonderful thing, especially during these trying and challenging times,” she expresses. So if you’re looking for a unique way to let someone special know you’re thinking about them — whether it is Valentine’s Day or just because — these custom candy bouquets might be the perfect choice. “Who doesn’t love chocolate and candy, especially when it’s all of their favourites?” asks St.Louis. “Instead of a bouquet of flowers give someone a bouquet of treats!” There you have it, short and sweet! For more details check: Facebook.com/BudzBeanzCandy.
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