A reason to celebrate: Five years later, Bloom has grown — with a little Fizz

MANSFIELD — A shopping trip at Bloom doesn’t always end with a bag of clothes.

Sometimes it ends with a dirty soda, a conversation with a friend or simply a few extra minutes spent somewhere that has become part of a customer’s routine.

That transformation is something Janelle Blake is celebrating this month as Bloom marks five years in business and Fizz reaches its first anniversary.

“I really think it has,” Blake said of her vision for creating a place where people could shop, relax and connect. “People come in for a drink and end up shopping, or come in to shop and sit and enjoy a Fizz.”

Celebrating five years of Bloom and one year of Fizz

Blake will celebrate both milestones Sept. 4and 5 with a two-day celebration featuring food trucks, giveaways, discounts and new offerings at Bloom and Fizz.

We really want it to feel like a celebration and a thank-you to everyone who has supported us.

Janelle Blake

Friday, Sept. 4 will feature Pancho’s food truck from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., double punch day, giveaways and a new Fizz item. Bloom also will debut its first large fall drop of the season and offer sale racks, giveaways and discounts.

Mr. Bills Wood Fired Pizza will be at the businesses from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5. Fizz will offer buy-one-get-one-half-off drinks, while Bloom will have discounts, giveaways and more.

Bloom and Fizz will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Blake said she wants the celebration to feel like a thank-you to the customers, team members, families and community members who helped the businesses reach these milestones.

“We really want it to feel like a celebration and a thank-you to everyone who has supported us,” Blake said.

From a 10-by-10 room to Bloom and Fizz

Blake opened Bloom five years ago with a simple vision: create a boutique where women could find cute, everyday pieces and feel comfortable shopping.

The business started in a 10-by-10 room, a beginning Blake said feels “honestly kind of crazy” to look back on.

“I don’t think I could have imagined everything it would turn into,” Blake said. “There have been a lot of changes, learning experiences and definitely some challenges, but mostly I just feel really grateful and proud of how far we’ve come.”

Over time, Blake’s vision for Bloom expanded beyond clothing. She said she wanted to create an experience and a place people enjoyed coming into, and adding Fizz became a major part of that.

When Blake introduced Fizz a year ago, she said dirty sodas were still pretty new to many people in Mansfield, and she didn’t know what to expect.

She said people embraced the concept quickly, finding favorite drinks, bringing friends in to try them and getting excited about each new menu.

(Story continues below. Photos from inside Bloom and Fizz. Credit: Richland Source file photos.)

Fizz also grew beyond what Blake initially expected.

“We knew we wanted Fizz to be fun and different, but it grew faster and in more directions than we expected,” Blake said. “Between the monthly menus, special events and a mobile trailer, it’s truly been a blessing.”

The businesses may have different concepts, but Blake said they complement one another.

“You can grab a drink while you shop, meet a friend or just stop in for one or the other,” she said. “It gives people more than one reason to come through the door.”

Some customers stop in simply because Bloom and Fizz have become part of their day. She said others come in for a drink and end up shopping, while some come to shop and sit down to enjoy a Fizz.

The community behind the growth

Blake credits the Mansfield community with helping Bloom reach its five-year milestone and Fizz its first anniversary.

Supporting a small business can mean walking through the doors, sharing social media posts, telling friends about the business or simply coming back, Blake said.

“We definitely wouldn’t have made it five years without that support,” she said.

The customers who have supported Bloom from the beginning stand out to Blake most. Their continued support through each stage of the business has made the journey especially meaningful, she said.

Blake also believes local businesses should support one another, which has led to collaborations and community-focused promotions.

“Because the community is what supports us,” she said. “We really believe small businesses should support each other, too.”

Reaching five years with Bloom and one year with Fizz has given Blake a chance to reflect on the highs and lows of owning a small business.

“It means a lot,” Blake said. “Owning a small business has highs and lows, so reaching five years with Bloom and one year with Fizz feels like something worth celebrating.”

Blake said she feels proud of what she has built, but she feels even more thankful for the people who helped her build it.

If she could go back and talk to herself when she opened Bloom, Blake said she would tell herself to trust the process and not overthink everything.

“There are going to be things that work and things that don’t, and that’s okay,” she said.

Looking ahead, Blake wants to continue growing both Bloom and Fizz, keeping things fresh, listening to customers and remaining open to new opportunities when they make sense.

“We’re always thinking about what’s next,” she said. “I just hope we continue creating something people are excited to support.”

For Blake, that future still comes back to the people who helped build both businesses.

“Our customers, our team, our families and this community,” she said. “There are so many people behind the scenes and so many loyal customers who have helped us get here.”