Victoria McBride never imagined that her love of flowers could create such an impact on the Norman community.
In May, McBride opened Victoria McBride Creations Floral Boutique in the University North Park entertainment district, becoming one of the district’s first African-American business owners.
“Victoria is a unique person with a unique talent that happens to be a minority,” said Ann Winston, who has been McBride’s customer for three years. “I am delighted to see her business in that area and more ecstatic about it because she is a woman who has worked hard to get where she is.”
The floral boutique is one of the first African-American-owned businesses in University North Park, the Norman Transcript reported in October.
McBride said she was shocked and inspired at the response she received following the Transcipt's story.
"I had a neighbor who was one of the first women to play in the WNBA, and she came by and brought me the spread from the Norman Transcript and said, ‘I want your autograph,’ and I was like, 'I want your autograph,'" McBride said. “So, that keeps me going and keeps me encouraged because you don’t ever feel like people are watching you or taking notice of you, but every now and then there is someone watching you, and it makes you want to do better and be a better person.”
McBride is originally from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and moved to Norman with her family about nine years ago. Moving to Norman was a complete culture shock for McBride’s family, she said, because demographically, Hattiesburg was predominately black.
“When my husband and I were just visiting (Norman) before we moved here, the movie ‘The Help’ was out, and the theater was packed, and then when the lights came up, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, we are the only black people here,” McBride said.
Although McBride said she is honored to be one of the first African-American-owned businesses in the University North Park entertainment district, she wants to be a positive influence for the Norman community as a whole and not just focus on the African-American community.
“There are not that many African-Americans in Norman, but I try not to look at it like that because it can make you feel discouraged,” McBride said. “I want to be a business to all people and be an example to everyone because I am just another human. If anybody can look at that and be encouraged, then if I don’t sell a flower, that’s good enough for me.”
McBride has had a love for flowers for years and used to sell her creations from her home, but as they became more popular, she found it necessary to open a shop.
“Selling flowers from my home and having people come to my house was a little unsafe and a little messy,” McBride said. “So, once this store became available, I just jumped on it because I was getting a lot of traction just from being home and doing flowers from the house.”
McBride creates floral designs for birthdays, weddings, banquets, anniversaries, sympathy, holidays, get well, new baby or just because, and her shop is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, according to the Victoria McBride Creations Floral Boutique website.
While McBride works for herself and does not have any employees, her husband Anthony McBride helps her with the business side of her floral boutique.
“I am responsible for the monthly financial reports, submitting taxes to the State of Oklahoma monthly, establishing and staying within our budget, social media and dumping trash on weekends,” Anthony McBride said. “I am also here to support my wife and ensure she is successful.”
Many customers have followed her to her new store because of her creativity and the unique elements she adds to her creations, McBride said.
“I've been a customer since day one,” said Pamela Mays, a long-time customer of McBride’s. “Even before the floral boutique, I admired Victoria's work and would purchase wreaths. Her creativity and quality of work is simply amazing and is seen in all of her unique creations.”
McBride has also gained a lot of new customers since opening her shop and said she has been welcomed with open arms by the Norman community.
“I purchased two wreaths from Victoria,” said Chiquita Allison, a new customer of McBride’s. “I’m impressed with the customization, and I trust my wreaths to be one-of-a-kind.”
McBride said she loves what she does and works extremely hard to make sure that everything she creates looks perfect, even if it goes above budget.
While getting her business started was a lot of work, McBride said she wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world.
“I have to make it look full and pretty, and if it goes above budget, then oh well. It may not be good for business, but that’s just me,” McBride said. “Everything that I do is going into people’s homes, and I take that as an honor because a part of me is in someone’s home.”
