Today we’d like to introduce you to Annié Colón.
Hi Annié, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I spent more than two decades creating experiences for some of the world’s most recognizable brands, leading creative direction and experiential marketing for companies including Nike, Netflix, MTV, Discovery, Sprint, Instagram, the Super Bowl, CES, Comic-Con, and the Latin Grammys. My work was always centered around one thing: creating moments that made people feel something.
As rewarding as that career was, I eventually realized I wanted to build something that reflected my own heart instead of someone else’s brand. I was longing for a slower, more intentional way of living—one rooted in beauty, hospitality, craftsmanship, and genuine human connection.
That journey led me to flowers.
I’ve always believed flowers communicate what words often cannot. They celebrate our happiest moments, comfort us through our hardest ones, and remind us to pause and honor the people we love. They mark beginnings, endings, and everything in between.
From that belief, Éscolática was born.
The name Éscolática means “female scholar.” It was inspired by my late grandmother, the village healer in our community. She served as a midwife and a death doula, walking beside families through life’s most sacred transitions—from welcoming new life into the world to lovingly guiding those at the end of theirs. She embodied wisdom, compassion, and service, and she taught me that caring for people is one of the most meaningful things we can do.
Éscolática is my love letter to her.
While I express her legacy through flowers rather than medicine, my purpose is the same: to nurture, celebrate, comfort, and create spaces where people feel seen, connected, and cared for.
I believe many of us have become disconnected from something our ancestors understood instinctively—that we were never meant to do life alone.
For generations, women gathered in community. We learned from one another, celebrated milestones together, grieved together, created together, and passed wisdom from one generation to the next. Those gatherings weren’t simply traditions; they were how we healed, how we grew, and how we belonged.
Today, so much of our shopping has become transactional. We consume quickly, often surrounded by mass-produced products with little connection to the people who made them or the stories behind them.
I wanted to create something different.
I didn’t set out to open a flower shop. I wanted to create a destination.
A place where women could slow down, shop intentionally, discover beautifully crafted pieces with meaning, gather around flowers, celebrate life’s milestones, learn something new, and leave feeling more connected than when they arrived.
Every flower, every object, every workshop, and every detail inside Éscolática has been chosen with intention. Nothing is there by accident. My hope is that walking through our doors feels less like entering a retail store and more like stepping into a sanctuary—one that invites beauty, conversation, creativity, and belonging.
Seeing our Austin community embrace that vision has been one of the greatest joys of my life. Watching women gather around our flower table, bring their daughters, celebrate birthdays and bridal showers, honor loved ones, or simply stop in because they needed beauty in their day has reaffirmed exactly why I began this journey.
As Éscolática grows, my vision is to create more destinations where flowers become a catalyst for connection, where thoughtfully curated goods replace mindless consumption, and where women rediscover the simple but profound act of gathering in community.
Because at its heart, Éscolática was never just about flowers.
It’s about creating a modern village.
A place where beauty is intentional, craftsmanship is celebrated, traditions are honored, and women remember something that has always been true:
We flourish when we gather.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like most entrepreneurs, the journey hasn’t been without its challenges, but many of those challenges were intentional choices.
From the beginning, we resisted the urge to grow quickly. We deliberately kept our footprint quiet, choosing not to invest heavily in signage or traditional marketing during our early stages. Instead, we trusted that our community—our tribe—would find us naturally through word of mouth and shared experiences. There is something special about discovering a place because someone you trust tells you, “You have to go.”
That philosophy shaped every decision we made. Rather than focusing on rapid expansion, we focused on creating something worthy of being shared. We took our time curating artisans, designing experiences, and building a space that people genuinely wanted to return to and introduce to others.
Of course, building a business from the ground up requires patience. There are moments of uncertainty, difficult decisions, and countless lessons along the way. But those experiences have only strengthened our belief that lasting businesses are built on trust, authenticity, and consistency—not speed.
Today, one of our greatest successes isn’t simply the growth of Éscolática. It’s watching a community form around it. Seeing women gather, celebrate, create, and support one another has affirmed that what we were building was never just a retail space—it was always about creating a place where people feel they belong.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Escolatica Floral Atielier & boutique ?
My career has always been about creating experiences that evoke emotion. Today, that same philosophy lives inside Éscolática, just through a different medium.
While florals are at the heart of what we do, Éscolática has evolved into one of Austin’s go-to destinations for thoughtful gifting and intentional living. Every piece inside the boutique is carefully curated because it tells a story.
Alongside our bespoke florals, you’ll find artisan soaps, handwoven cotton pajamas, heirloom-quality home goods, journals, candles, and small-batch products created by makers who value craftsmanship over mass production.
We’ve also developed our own collection of ritual-inspired products. Our Grounding Oil was inspired by the botanical oils and herbs my grandmother used in her healing practice. Our body oil is accompanied by a personal prayer, transforming a simple daily ritual into a moment of reflection. Our shimmer oils were inspired by the effortless beauty and understated elegance I experienced while traveling through France.
Everything we carry is chosen with the same question in mind: Will this bring beauty, meaning, or comfort into someone’s life?
My background in experiential design influences every aspect of the business. I think about how a space feels, how products are discovered, how flowers are wrapped, the music that’s playing, the fragrance in the air, and the conversations that naturally unfold. Every detail contributes to the experience.
My hope is that people don’t simply visit Éscolática to buy something. I hope they come because it inspires them. Because it slows them down. Because it reminds them that beauty, craftsmanship, and human connection still matter.
As we continue to grow, my vision is to build a lifestyle brand that celebrates artisans, honors tradition, and creates beautiful destinations where people gather—not just to shop, but to experience something they can’t find anywhere else.
What are your plans for the future?
For the future, my vision is to continue growing Éscolática as a destination for flowers, thoughtful gifting, and meaningful experiences.
One of the areas I’m most excited to expand is our ancestral workshops. These gatherings use flowers as a creative and emotional medium, inviting women to slow down, reconnect with themselves, set intentions, and explore healing, manifestation, creativity, and personal transformation through the language of florals.
I’m also looking forward to hosting more pop-up markets that celebrate and elevate women-owned businesses. One of my greatest joys is creating opportunities for female artisans, makers, and entrepreneurs to share their work, tell their stories, and build meaningful connections within the community. I want Éscolática to be a place where women don’t just shop—they discover, collaborate, and champion one another.
We’re continuing to expand our curated gifting collections, including our ritual oils, artisan-made goods, and products inspired by heritage, craftsmanship, and intentional living. My hope is that Éscolática becomes the destination people think of when they’re searching for something beautiful, meaningful, and thoughtfully made.
As we grow, I envision expanding into additional locations while preserving the soul of the brand. Whether through florals, workshops, curated retail, or community gatherings, my mission remains the same: to create beautiful spaces where people feel inspired, connected, and reminded that the most meaningful experiences are the ones we share.
Pricing:
- C’est La Vie Grab & Go Bouquets: Starting at $88
- The Grounding Oil Ritual: $58
- The Ancestral Workshop: Starting at $228 per guest
- Private Floral Workshops & Events: Custom pricing available
Contact Info:
- Website: https://escolatica.co/
- Instagram: @escolatica_blooms
