Bouquet and Bordeaux coming to downtown St. Pete

Leigh Catoe Tillman knew she was ready for a different career. Spending years in the corporate world, the entrepreneur decided to create her own flower shop and wine bar in downtown St. Petersburg. 

Bouquet and Bordeaux’s 2,700-square-foot location, at 9 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street S., is expected to open in June. Initially, it was scheduled to welcome guests this month. However, there have been some delays in the process. 

Tillman said that the company’s e-commerce store will launch Thursday (April 9) to establish the brand. 

The goal was to create an experience that revolves around French culture and Southern hospitality. Research was essential in the process. 

“I did some traveling and came across a concept in Paris that was a floral cafe,” she explained. “Désirée offered full meals along with retail floral options and workshops. I thought that was a really neat concept and something that I haven’t really seen in the U.S. that brings both of those elements together.”

Leigh Catoe Tillman

Bouquet and Bordeaux will have a bloom studio, wine bar and bistro. Tillman recently hired a sommelier to help build out the concept’s wine strategy and lead the beverage program. 

A core aspect of the bloom studio will be workshops, she added. Guests can learn how to arrange flowers and wreaths. The space will also be used for events. 

One area of focus, Tillman said, will be “budget-savvy” weddings. Bridges will be able to visit the studio and build their own bouquets. 

Bouquet and Bordeaux will also feature a store, she added, that “is curated with items that are all related to flowers and wine.”

Additionally, guests will be able to purchase make-your-own gift baskets. Tillman planned to introduce the packages as a “Year Two” initiative, but decided to move forward on the venture earlier due to the brick and mortar location’s delay. These will be sold on the e-commerce store. 

There will be things for brides, mothers, fathers, graduates and even a LGBTQ+ Pride themed box. She explained that while the baskets will not feature flowers, they will have items such as spa products, wine glasses and inspirational books for students. 

“Community is definitely one of our pillars,” Tillman said. Every Bouquet and Bordeaux employee will receive two paid give-back days. This will allow them to donate their time to help others. 

“We intend to do the same,” she added. “We have several campaigns that we’ve already created around certain organizations in our community to provide donations.” 

Tillman is a Pinellas County native and grew up in Seminole. She moved back to the area about eight years ago. 

“When I started looking at Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, what really fit our aesthetic was the EDGE District,” she explained. “We want to be a place where people enter and kind of slow down and take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.” 

To learn more about Bouquet and Bordeaux and the brand’s e-commerce store, visit this link.