Former nurse’s new Albany flower shop blooms during stressful era

ALBANY – By her own admission, Marie Campbell’s life is blooming!

She opened a flower shop, Blooms by Marie, at 811 Madison Avenue, hoping for something fun to do after retirement, but she did so during the pandemic.

Things have just been coming up roses. She thinks flowers just made people feel better while they were cooped-up.

"I think it was just a very difficult time for a lot of folks who’ve been through COVID and everything else, losing their job and so on," said Campbell. "Flowers are just so psychological and emotional that folks tend to gravitate. It gives them comfort.

Comforting others is something she knows all about. She retired from Albany Med after years of being a nurse. Add to that her skill at creating bountiful arrangements, and you have fragrant flowers for all occasions.

If this observation of Campbell sounds a little flowery, look no further than her native Jamaica, where it came naturally as she watched her dad tend the family garden.

"He was very meticulous, with trimming, and cutting, and shaping, and he just loved it."

Learn about her work in flowers before opening the new shop, and her love for the business by watching the video of Elaine Houston’s story.

MORE INFORMATION: Blooms By Marie