TIFTON — “I never thought it would do as well as it has. Ever. Ever.”

Belle Golden had an idea for a flower truck, where people could pick out their own bouquets that reflected who they were, what they liked. After a honeymoon to Nashville, Tenn and visiting a flower truck there, the idea stuck.

Right before Valentine’s Day she told her husband Justin that she wanted to do it. Really do it. She told him they already have a truck at Espresso 41 that’s just sitting there.

“You don’t drive it. We don’t use it for anything. I want to make it a flower truck,” she told him.

Within days he had a logo designed and stickers printed. Belle ordered the first batch of flowers. She made a Facebook page and went to bed with 600 likes and woke up to more than 1,000. Today it has more than 2,000.

Despite her fear that it wouldn’t be accepted, that people wouldn’t love it, that it would be a big flop, she did it anyway.

Her grandmother was a florist. Belle grew up watching her arrange flowers and prepare bouquets. She advised her on where to order the flowers from and how to price them.

With the support of her family, she opened the truck on a Friday noon in front of Espresso 41. She hoped that lunch traffic would help. But she got more than she ever dreamed.  

“It was just crazy the response,” she said. “Everybody came up to me and bought flowers. They were telling me how wonderful an idea it was. That they loved that Tifton finally had something like this. That it was just a great idea. And I was just blown away by the support from everybody. It was amazing.”

A year ago, she never would have guessed.

“I would have never seen myself doing this. And if I had thought about it a long time ago I probably would have told myself it’s not possible.”

Now she’s booking weddings and teaming up with other small businesses. Plantation 59 asked if she’d park the truck in front the boutique. Of course she would and that day, she said with a bemused laugh, was “stupid busy.”

More businesses have asked for the truck. From Thomasville to Moultrie Belle’s Flower Truck is putting the miles in. She was also asked to arrange a bouquet for Lee Ann Womack for her show on March 28.

“Having something like this here, I think it’s a unique experience,” she said. She and Justin are both interested in ushering in a new atmosphere for Tifton.

“I like to bring culture to Tifton. That’s mine and my husband’s biggest thing,” she said.

They both attribute Espresso 41’s popularity to the flower truck’s success. The truck is its own star.

Belle said it got more attention at the Rhythm and Ribs festival than the flowers did (just to be clear, no, the truck isn’t for sale and no, they don’t want it painted).

When customers approach the truck they are welcome to assemble their own bouquet. Belle is always there to help. Some people give her a budget and color preferences and let her create the bouquet. But no matter what, she wants the bouquets to feel personal, something pre-made bouquets lack.

“I want people to be able to come pick out a bouquet and make their own rather than go to Publix and get a bouquet that’s already made,” she said. “You get to pick what you like. Make your own. Make it reflect who you are and your personality.”

 She keeps a variety of flowers and regularly integrates new flora like the anemone. Belle also provides the classics like roses and daisies. Sunflowers sell quickly. And then she has greenery like eucalyptus. After the customer assembles their bouquets she arranges and wraps it in brown paper and ties it with a string.

One customer comes by every week for a fresh bouquet.

“She looks forward to coming here every week and making her bouquet,” Belle said. “I like that I get to be a part of that, too.”

It’s been a whirlwind from the beginning and grown faster than she could have imagined. Belle gets to create her own schedule, allowing her to balance her roles as wife, mother and business owner. And even though it can be stressful she knows she didn’t do it, and doesn’t do it, alone.

“Without my wonderful husband this would not have been possible,” Bell laughed. “That’s for sure. Cause it’s his truck.”

“I hope people know that we try to give our all with everything we do,” added Justin.

“It’s been a blessing,” Belle said. “It’s just unreal.”