Bluestone Lane Flower Shop Café

Bluestone Lane Flower Shop Café, (Image Source: Bluestone Lane) 

As I approached my meeting spot, a building nestled on the southwest corner of W 3rd Street and S. Crescent Heights Boulevard in the Beverly Grove neighborhood of Los Angeles, I was thrown off by the building structure that stood before me.  The brick façade painted prison gray was at first looming, but thanks to a gifted artist, painted flowers climbed the walls shifting its first impression on me.  As I continued through the glass doors, I felt as if I’d crossed over into another dimension, one as whimsical as the name suggests—Bluestone Lane Flower Shop Café. 

Like so many places in today’s Los Angeles, one can feel a bit out-of-place while navigating new establishments as obscurity on expected protocol can intimidate.  My naiveté was put at ease by lovely hellos from a pleasant young woman who greeted me as I entered.   I wasn’t sure if her exuberant welcome was for my benefit or hers; emerging out from this pandemic seems to have us all excited for in-person exchanges. 

As I looked around, I found the interior décor unique to what we usually find in our local coffeehouses.  Mid-century modern styled wooden tables, chairs, and bench seating filled the room, but not without being regaled by rich cyan velvet backrests and golden iron chairs that wrapped around long tables, a combination resulting in agreeable harmony.  With potted plants suspended from above like that of a fairytale forest and a pink floral mural with a turquoise backdrop on the rear wall, I secretly imagined the cast of Bridgerton mingling about glancing my way wondering who this new addition to the ton this Season was.  I looked up to find a kind young man wondering if I was okay and if I needed anything else, to which I answered, “I would love another latte,” continuing in a mutter as he walked away, “…and a dance kind sir.” 

Equally captivated by the space, my companion was in no hurry to end our meeting making two trips to his meter to give payment. The two of us stayed until closing, the last patrons of the day.  As I grabbed my coat, I couldn’t help but ask the pleasing young woman quietly collecting table items before close how this interior style came about.  It was the previous tenant, a talented florist, who agreed to let the enchanting forest remain with the existing painted mural as the gifted finery that would inspire Bluestone Lane to adopt the added Flower Shop Café in their name of this almost hidden gem at 8100 W 3rd Street.