About

Roxanne Thompson Bio
Chief Designer/Owner, Island Florals by Roxanne

Roxanne’s passion for beautiful flowers has been a lifelong affair. So it’s hardly surprising that she has been in the floral business for over 25 years.

Her education and design skill can be traced back to her Maryland roots when she went to work for noted Welsh IFD designer Gail Coe at The Gateway Florist in historic downtown Annapolis. Exposed to Coe’s extensive and celebrated floral designs as well as the international guest designers to the shop, Roxanne translated her love of flowers into considerable skill as a designer herself. After moving to Wilmington, NC in 1995, Roxanne continued to expand her skills working for a variety of local florists until 2004 when she realized her dream of shop ownership.

The Island Florist, in the heart of Carolina Beach, was a small-scale florist servicing the island locals when she bought the business six years ago. As Island Florals by Roxanne, Roxanne transformed the business into a full service florist with a national and an international reach via the worldwide web. Pleasure Island and the Greater Wilmington area were the primary sources of daily orders but the shop fulfilled orders from as far way as London and the Middle East.

Wedding flowers are Roxanne’s greatest love in floral design so, finding that area lacking in the previous owner’s business plan, she developed a wedding component to the business that is now highly sought after from New England to Florida. With a special soft spot for her brides-to-be, Roxanne confesses that “every time I make a bridal bouquet, I say a little prayer for the marriage”.

Phase 2 in Roxanne’s business plan came to fruition on September 1, 2010 when Island Florals by Roxanne relocated to Racine Commons shopping center in Wilmington. This move provides the shop greater overall access to the Greater Wilmington region while allowing her to continue providing flowers and services to the beach communities on Pleasure Island and Wrightsville Beach.

In all of her work, Roxanne’s designs reflect her unique and imaginative vision. From traditional to quirky to avant-gard and beyond, she merges her considerable skill and talent with the customer’s desire. And, like all savvy professionals, Roxanne updates her knowledge through continuing education in the field and participation in professional florist and wedding organizations.

Island Florals by Roxanne actively supports the local community and is a member of the Pleasure Island and Wilmington chambers of commerce.

The pictures below are from our brand new location in Racine Commons. Click on any of the pictures to enlarge them for a better look!