On October 30, 2026, just three weeks before our grand opening, our little flower shop in Boutte, was involved in a awful hit-and-run situation..A man crashed his vehicle into the front of our storefront and fled the scene..

Since then, we’ve learned that the vehicle had fake license plates and was uninsured. The driver was caught on camera, but they are still trying to identify and locate him.

Thankfully, nobody was hurt, we had left only an hour prior. But finding the person responsible won’t change the immediate reality we’re facing.

Our storefront is damaged, our grand opening is now in jeopardy, and my family’s livelihood is at stake before we’ve even had the chance to open our doors.

My name is Kaysea Tassara. I’m a wife, a mother of 2, and a small-business owner who moved to Louisiana just one year ago on military orders.

This was our family’s first military move. I left behind what was familiar and started over somewhere new, hoping to build a future, find my community, and plant roots here in St. Charles Parish for good.

For years, I operated my small business, Whoosart, from my garage and online. I worked hard, saved every penny I could, and set out planning to open a storefront where I could combine my creative business with my passion for flowers.

That dream became Flowers Near Me — A NOLA Florist, a family-owned flower shop in the Village Shopping Center.

Opening this shop with my mom by my side, we have poured everything into bringing this dream to life. Our savings, countless hours, late nights, and hours away from my kiddos.

November 20 wasn’t just our grand opening date. It was my opportunity to finally begin earning back what we’ve invested.

Opening before the holiday season was incredibly important to the financial success of my business. After months of expenses without income from the storefront, we were finally approaching the moment all our hard work was supposed to start paying off…

Now, that opportunity is slipping away, this is a huge delay.

And unfortunately, the damage doesn’t stop with our flower shop.

In preparation for opening, I had already moved all of my equipment and supplies from my home-based Whoosart business into the storefront. With the shop now damaged, I’m facing the additional expense of moving that equipment back home just to get my original business operating again.

I’m now trying to restore one source of income while losing the opportunity to launch another, all while my family’s bills and business expenses continue.

But this setback reaches beyond my own family.

We have 32 Louisiana small-business vendors that were preparing to move their handmade goods, crafts, and creations into our shop THIS WEEK.

These are LOCAL makers, artists, and entrepreneurs who were counting on our storefront as another opportunity to grow their businesses and support their families.

I wanted Flowers Near Me to be more than a flower shop. I wanted it to be a place where our community could come together, and support local artists/businesses.

Now, those opportunities are being delayed, too.

Asking for help is not easy for me. I’ve always believed in working hard, finding a way, and doing whatever it takes..

But right now, I need help.

We’re asking our community to help us cover the unexpected costs of relocating equipment, getting Whoosart back up and running, and keeping our new flower shop afloat while we navigate repairs and the financial impact of a delayed opening.

We’re working with our landlord as building repairs and insurance responsibilities are determined, but those processes won’t replace the time, income, and opportunities we’re losing.

I know times are difficult for so many families, life is expensive, and I don’t take asking for help lightly…

Whether you’re able to donate, share our story, or simply support us when we finally open, every bit of kindness/help brings us one step closer to getting back on our feet.

I chose to invest in this community, support its small businesses, and build something that could bring people together.

Now, I’m asking that same community to rally around me.

I haven’t given up, and I won’t.

I just need a little help getting us through this.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for hearing our story, supporting our family, and helping us keep this dream alive.

With love and gratitude,

Kaysea Tassara

Flowers Near Me — A NOLA Florist

Village Shopping Center | Boutte, Louisiana