Local Love Blog Series – Banff Mountaintop Flowers

Welcome back to the Local Love Blog Series! 

I’m so excited to have the opportunity to feature Christine and Ian Kaufmann, the amazing owners, and operators of Banff Mountaintop Flowers this week! Both born and raised in Banff, this duo makes the ultimate Local Love Blog Series powerhouse couple to feature!

Ranging from the perfect bouquet to lift someone’s spirit or celebrate a milestone, to full wedding arrangements, or even a first houseplant for a new apartment, Banff Mountaintop Flowers has a little something for everyone. Inspired by the previous owner, Susanne Gilles-Smith who still operates the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House, Ian and Christine pour their hearts into every arrangement and love sharing their passion (borderline obsession) for houseplants with others.

Their main motivation to keep going stems from a strong love of flowers, and the joy of working with their team to bring happiness to their customers.

Always looking to keep their ideas fresh, Christine and Ian work hard to find more environmentally conscious options within the operation of their business and constantly come up with new ways to design their arrangements. With their focus on the smaller details that make a big difference, Banff Mountaintop Flowers has embodied a friendly and welcoming space that leaves any pretentious vibes at the door.

Getting to focus on the little details like mixing texture and colour to come up with a perfect bouquet that will perfectly complement the bride is all part of the excitement. So much emotion and joy are poured into these arrangements that play such an important role on the most important day. Plus, the bridal bouquet can truly be a place to share so much about an individual.

Drawing inspiration daily from the mountains, taking over the business was an easy decision for Ian.

With Christine managing the store, then called Banff Flower Hounds, it was first offered to her when Susanne decided to sell. Despite a little bit of healthy hesitation, Ian’s eagerness and enthusiasm in taking on this new venture as a couple was what helped Christine take the plunge.

Initially just a side-gig to supplement her painting income, Christine found her place in the flower shop within her first day. 8 years later when she and Ian opened Banff Mountaintop Flowers, they had struck a perfect balance of roles. While Ian is known to be able to pull together a beautiful bouquet, he tends to be responsible for more of the business responsibilities which saves Christine from hours of frustration and lets her focus on the creative side of things. Together, they’ve become a perfect team in their business, in addition to being the perfect pair in life.

Being the truest level of Banff locals, it should come as no surprise that Ian and Christine have plenty of Local Love shout-outs to make!

Starting with three amazing artisans, they had to shine some light on potter Ciara Jayne Linteau from Ciara Jayne Ceramics, artist Michael Corner, and artist Cecelia Leddy from the TeenyBotanist. They love the great work being done by Beatnik Salon (past Local Love feature!) for their commitment to coming up with new ideas to engage with the community, the Radiant Banff for being an ally to the community while also providing an amazing all-around dining experience, and of course, they had to mention Suzanne and her team at the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House that work so hard to maintain this amazing mountaintop restaurant (with no electricity!). They have even partnered with a few different local artists to create art cards, including Lynne Huras, Byrony Toon, TeenyBotanist, and Christine’s very own work, Christine Ford. Lastly, as true animal lovers, Ian and Christine of course had to mention the amazing work being done by the Bow Valley SPCA.

And even better, they have no plans of going anywhere! They love their location in the Bear Street Mall and couldn’t be happier with the mall family they’ve built. Despite the struggle so many local business owners have of finding a balance between work and life, Christine and Ian work hard to turn off and focus on their family. Their goal is simply to keep creating amazing arrangements and providing beautiful houseplants for the community.

At the end of the day, the satisfaction in creating an arrangement that brings their customers so much joy and happiness is undeniable.

Ian and Christine have found a huge love for working together as a team and sharing their passion with others. They’ve been lucky to have amazing staff that have in turn discovered their own love for the business, and even gone on to start their own shops or flower farms. They truly believe that without their amazing staff, they wouldn’t be where they are today and find inspiration from them every day.

So next time you’re looking for flowers or a plant for any occasion, be sure to keep Banff Mountaintop Flowers at the top of your list. You can order online or go visit them in person in the Bear St. Mall, they are open Monday-Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm. Of course, be sure to follow them on Instagram and Facebook for your daily plant and flower fix!

Interested in being featured in the Local Love Blog Series? Check out more information here and make sure to follow us on Instagram!