CHARLESTON, S.C. — From selling palmetto roses to shaping futures, Michelle Summers of Herby’s Flower Shop has transformed her floral boutique into a sanctuary for young entrepreneurs in Charleston’s Lowcountry.
Summers, driven by a passion to preserve youth and the Gullah Geechee culture, has cultivated more than just flowers in her shop. Her bond with local Palmetto Rose Sellers has evolved into a nurturing environment that extends far beyond commerce.
“I feel safe in this place,” shared Shawn Sabb, a young palmetto rose seller. “I don’t get judged. I don’t get seen a certain way just for how I look. This place, it’s like a second home.”
For Summers, her shop isn’t just a place of business but a haven where young people find refuge and opportunity. “I don’t know who will stop by, but whoever does, they’ll say, ‘Hey, Miss Michelle, I need work.’ Come on in,” explained Summers, reflecting on her open-door policy.
“I call ’em my little friends,” Summers affectionately added. “Each day, I might meet a new one. I try to learn their names. Everybody’s giving me nicknames, so I’m trying to learn the nicknames.”
Her commitment goes beyond providing a space for selling palmetto roses. Summers mentors the youth, imparting entrepreneurial skills and guiding them towards successful futures. “I want to use my shop and Summerville’s main area to give them a good and safe place,” she emphasized. “We laugh, we talk, and I teach them some entrepreneur skills.”
Summers has also taken practical steps to support these young entrepreneurs, raising funds to provide bicycles for those who need them. “I saw a few of them walking, so I reached out to my Facebook friends to get them bikes so they can get around,” she explained, highlighting her proactive approach to addressing community needs.
Moreover, Summers is rallying support for their education. “I’m reaching out to my friends again to help me help them with their school necessities,” she said. “They can be prepared and keep building on their entrepreneur skills without worrying about what they need for school.”
Her efforts have not gone unnoticed by the community or the young entrepreneurs themselves. Summers has even hired some of them to work in her shop, offering practical experience and income. “Some are preparing for their first event, a wedding,” she shared proudly.
“She inspires me to do things I never thought I could do,” Sabb expressed gratefully, reflecting the impact Summers has had on his life and those of his peers.
Summers remains humble in the face of community support. “It means so much that the community has been supporting me and these young entrepreneurs,” she acknowledged.
As Michelle Summers continues to nurture and empower Charleston’s youth through Herby’s Flower Shop, her impact reverberates far beyond the petals and thorns, shaping futures and fostering a stronger community spirit.
