It’s OK to open with joy: How two moms’ dreams just launched twin shops on Brookside-Waldo border

Two women, longtime friends, have similar entrepreneur origin stories. Now they have side-by-side shops in a bustling neighborhood shopping district.

The twin storefronts — Bramble & Stem led by Katherine (Brambl) Taylor; and Blue Sky Art + Home from hometown artist Leslie Beck — come as the mothers-turned-business owners pivot from freelancing to full-time entrepreneurship.

For both, it’s an extension of their own creativity and desire to achieve even more with their lives through their shared visions.

“I want to spread joy. I want people to take time for themselves,” said Beck.

“This space has been in my head and my heart for so long but it was never ‘I could do this,’” she continued. “It took the two of us to sit down and say, ‘Why not? Why can’t we do this? We had the same dreams just in a different medium. It was a huge pillar of support.” 

Blue Sky Art + Home and Bramble & Stem in Waldo; photo by Joyce Smith

Bramble & Stem

Katherine (Brambl) Taylor’s late father was her biggest cheerleader, she said.

“He always believed in me, always — between school, sports, whatever — and my mom, too,” Taylor said. “And with that came responsibility. ‘OK, I have to do something here.’ That’s what fueled this.”

“This” is her new Waldo floral shop, Bramble & Stem. It opened Nov. 5 at 410 E. Gregory Blvd.

Taylor worked in sales, marketing and advertising in Chicago before returning to her hometown of Tulsa in 2006 with the idea of one day taking over her father’s door and window sales and installation business. She had grown up in the Brookside area of Tulsa and earned an MBA from Oklahoma State University as foundation for her future role. 

But after marrying Bryan Taylor in 2011 she moved to Kansas City for her husband’s job.

Katherine (Brambl) Taylor, Bramble & Stem

When she was considering her next career step, Bryan suggested she consider trying something she’d always wanted to do. He was surprised to find it was floral arranging. 

“It seemed like a lovely, happy thing to do,” Taylor said.

She took a job at a downtown floral shop as sort of an internship — making deliveries, handling marketing and learning floral arrangement.

She left when she was pregnant with her first child, Evie, now 12. Then she had her son, Marshall, now 10. 

Taylor eventually began helping a friend who owns a home-based floral business, Botanica Flower Studio, and who became a mentor.  

“It gave her the confidence that she could take this on as well; that she was capable of doing great designs,” said Heather Coones, owner of Botanica. “She had always had that desire so I encouraged her to go for it. It’s not just those big shops anymore, it’s smaller, with a lot of freelancing.”

A movement for florists to be collaborative presents an opportunity for everyone, Taylor said.

“There is room for all of us in this town,” she said.

Her Brookside home-based Studio 421 focused on such special events as weddings and corporate galas. Taylor did her first walk-thru with a bride at Loose Mansion with her young son, Marshall, in a sling resting on her chest.

She never advertised, just networked with event planners and built the business one job at a time through word-of-mouth.

During COVID, when gatherings were postponed, she expanded the business to all-occasion  events like birthdays, homecomings, and weddings. 

Taylor is self-taught and specializes in designs using fresh, organic blooms with a modern, natural garden-inspired flair. 

A view of Bramble & Stem through a doorway from Blue Sky Art + Home; photo by Joyce Smith

When the business outgrew her garage, she began looking for spaces with longtime friend Leslie Beck. 

A vintage corner shopping district at the bustling intersection of Gregory and Oak is home to such tenants as Front Range Coffeehouse & Provisions. It had a space that could be easily divided. The women signed leases in late August and began remodeling their individual shops.

Taylor’s Bramble & Stem offers fresh flowers Tuesdays through Fridays. 

She also carries wreaths, plants, a few pieces of holiday decor, and floral-themed earrings in a variety of colors made by daughter Evie. 

The shop had wall-to-wall customers at an open house Thursday night, depleting many items but more goods were arriving over the weekend. 

Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. It is open Mondays by appointment only, and deliveries also are available that day. It is closed Sundays.

Taylor also offers subscription services — weekly, bi-weekly or monthly options — as well as monthly plant rotations (changing them out monthly with a fresh arrangement).

She has two holiday workshops scheduled: Friendsgiving Floral Design Nov. 25 for $95; Holiday Centerpiece Dec. 3 for $95; and Holiday Wreath Dec. 10 for $85. 

She also will do private workshops as immersive experiences during corporate gatherings, holiday parties, bridal showers, birthday parties and other get-togethers so participants can learn a new skill with friends and family.

“I still can’t believe I did it all,” Taylor said. “Going back it is just a blur and the jump to retail just seemed so large and it was a lot of hard work.”

“But what do I want?” she continued. “I always wanted a flower shop.”

Leslie Beck at Blue Sky Art + Home; photo by Joyce Smith

Blue Sky Art + Home 

Artist Leslie Beck took the spot just west of Bramble & Stem at 408 E. Gregory for Blue Sky Art + Home. It has its own entrance plus a doorway between the shops.

Large windows make it a light, airy space to show off her abstract artwork in shades of blue against the white walls. 

Her current pieces were inspired by a trip to Greece she took with her two daughters in 2023. 

“It is important to show it’s OK to do things that bring you joy. To believe that we were worthy of a trip like that,” she said. 

The shop also is an expression of that sentiment: How can she tell her children they can do what brings them joy if she doesn’t?

On an open shelf dividing the retail area from her open work space are her hand-painted pumpkins in shades of blue; her Blue Sky brand of candles (Calm + Breezy with notes of green tea and fig); cyanotype printing kits; cozy cotton throws with block printed and hand-stitched green and blue flowers; and bowls by local Rachel Akin Ceramics. The shop also has Beck’s hand-painted holiday ornaments.

Hand-painted holiday ornaments by Leslie Beck at Blue Sky Art + Home; photo by Joyce Smith

Friday she met with another longtime friend to develop the Blue Sky Art + Home website.

Beck grew up in Brookside and earned a bachelor of arts in graphic design from the University of Kansas in Lawrence. She spent 15 years as a graphic designer for small area firms.

Then in 2013, she started freelancing for companies such as Hallmark, Children’s Mercy, the Kansas City Ballet and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. 

A year later, she joined another artist/mom/designer to make homegoods — Kansas City and neighborhood themed art, pillows, textiles and more.

She was leaving the business when her father died — he had his own advertising agency — pushing her into a “time of reflection.”

“Growing up with that, seeing what it takes, seeing him work hard and accomplish his goals, that was an inspiration,” Beck said. “And I do believe I have his drive. His pride in our success meant a lot to me. I loved talking business with him.” 

While she still designs for her longtime corporate clients, she made painting another full time job. 

Artwork on display at Blue Sky Art + Home; photo by Joyce Smith

Artwork on display at Blue Sky Art + Home; photo by Joyce Smith

Beck is married to her high school sweetheart and the mother of five. She had painted in the  sun-filled former bedroom of her Brookside home. Now her studio is in the back half of the new Waldo space.

Beck’s youngest son went to preschool with Taylor’s daughter about nine years ago and they became friends.

“We just love each other and appreciate each other’s creativity, and she is an amazing mom,” Beck said.

She also plans to hold workshops and host private events, such as bridal showers where the party can paint a piece together as a gift to the bride and groom.

Shop hours will be similar to Bramble & Stem, but customers could occasionally find a “Be Right Back” sign.

“It’s just me and I’m a mom,” Beck said.

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Startland News contributor Joyce Smith covered local restaurants and retail for nearly 40 years with The Kansas City Star. Click here to follower on X (formerly Twitter), here for Facebook, here for Instagram, and by following #joyceinkc on Threads.