It's been a long time in the making but "The Coronado Flower Lady" shop is finally ready to take full bloom.
In early November, a drunk driver crashed into the stand on Orange Avenue in Coronado going nearly 100 miles per hour, according witnesses. Nobody was injured, but the owner, Shanel Albert, was left with the mess of the wreckage.
"I sold flowers from a small metal workbench for almost eight months," she said. "I had an umbrella, some chairs and my buckets of flowers and that's about it."
Albert said the community rallied together after the crash, offering words of encouragement and support throughout the long months of rebuilding.
Albert's husband worked tirelessly to rebuild the stand, crafting it himself. The customized stand has engravings that read "The Coronado Flower Lady" on the sides of the wood.
"My husband did everything from buying the materials to handling the design with the architect," said Albert. "This opening means everything to me."
On Tuesday, Coronado councilmembers and the mayor, Richard Bailey, gathered along with supporters, for a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the grand re-opening of the shop.
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Mayor Bailey cut the red ribbon and cookies with the shop's logo were served.
Albert is the fourth owner of the stand. It's been in the same spot in Coronado for over 36 years.
