Webb City sisters launch pop-up flower truck

Be joy-filled.

That’s the motto for two Webb City sisters as they launch the Joyfield Flower Truck. The pop-up floral business, operated by Kortlynn Burgess and Kaylee Cristy, began appearing at Joplin-area events and businesses in early July.

The name comes from two sources highlighting the sisters’ motto and paying homage to their late grandmother, Dixie Joy Cristy.

“Flowers can be that little extra for people to bring joy,” Burgess said. “During happy times, or sad times, flowers are bright pieces which bring joy no matter what the circumstances. (People) don’t normally have flowers all the time, so they are also a treat. They bring me joy to work with them.”

The idea for the flower truck was born when Burgess, a nurse at Mercy in Joplin, and Cristy, a sophomore at University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, started contemplating going into business together.

“I always said I wanted to do something that was in the floral business and very creative,” Burgess said. “Kaylee took a floral design class as an elective. We began talking to Dad and saw flower trucks (on social media). Then Dad offered his truck.”

The truck Kent Cristy offered was the 1950 Chevrolet he drove at the age of 14. For the past 30 years, it sat unused in the barn of the sisters’ grandfather, Leroy Cristy.

The sisters agreed to take it, and since its restoration, the pop-up flower truck business has extended to include both men. Kent Cristy drives the truck to various shows for his daughters, while Leroy Cristy comes to hang out and talk about the truck.

“A lot of people love the truck itself,” Burgess said. “People are always taking a lot of pictures. Some even want to smell the inside (of the cab) because it takes them back in time.”

Other family members involved in the business include Burgess’ husband, Tyler, and their 13-month-old daughter, Ivey. Kristen Cristy, the sisters’ mother, helps with the accounting side of the business, while Alex Gaitlin, Kaylee Cristy’s fiance, helps with the sales and setup.

Behind the scenes

The sisters purchase their flowers from a vendor in Springfield and a flower farm in McDonald County. They get most of their flowers on the morning of an event, and then spend the day prepping the stems.

During the pop-up events, the sisters sell flowers by the stem, allowing people to customize and purchase a bouquet. The sisters then wrap the bouquets in paper as a finishing touch.

Popular premium flowers include sunflowers, roses and peonies. Burgess said spider mums are among her favorites for bouquets because they are big, colorful and less expensive. Other favorites are eucalyptus for greenery, and lisianthus and liatris for pops of color.

“It’s a fun kind of break from work, and doesn’t feel like work,” Burgess said. “It’s a fun escape. We get to work with beautiful creations, go out, meet people and interact with the community. We like being creative, and this gives us that outlet.”

The sisters’ truck has popped up at events such as Third Thursday in Joplin and Food Truck Friday in Carthage. They have also worked special events for area businesses, including a recent employee appreciation event at Southwest Missouri Bank. They strive to post a weekly schedule of where they’ll be on their Joyfield Flower Truck Facebook page.

Burgess said she would like to expand the truck’s offerings by providing fresh flowers as a token or favors for wedding guests. For private events, the sisters charge a truck fee that covers staffing and a fee for the flowers.

For more information, go to joyfieldflowertruck.com or call 417-540-8219.