4-H hobby comes in the form of a bakery and floral business in Bloomington

BLOOMINGTON — What started as a 4-H hobby for Candice Anderson growing up in Piper City has grown into a small business in Bloomington.

Pollen and Pastry, a flower and dessert shop, is this week’s pick for Food of the Week. Anderson’s commercial kitchen and floral studio at 2121 Morrissey Drive opened in 2016, while Anderson was studying horticulture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His latest venture, the Pollen and Pastry Pop-Up, opened in May 2023 at 212 N. Center St., Unit 102, inside the Ensenberger Building in downtown Bloomington.

“I took all the gardening projects, like all the (4-H) projects… (I) really enjoyed it,” said Anderson, who is now a certified floral designer and certified professional florist in Illinois .







Candice Anderson owns Pollen and Pastry, which has a commercial kitchen and floral studio on Morrissey Drive and a pop-up location at 212 N. Center St. in downtown Bloomington.


CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH


“And then, of course, friends and family started asking, ‘Hey, can you make a cake for that?’ ‘Can you make wedding flowers for that?'” Anderson said. “I enjoy both. And it makes sense… We went the wedding route, which has been our specialty since the beginning, because obviously the pairing of flowers and desserts goes well together.”

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Anderson said the Morrissey location is where all of the baking and floral production takes place. The store is open by appointment and for pickup only. The store also offers delivery services.

The pop-up shop is opening in conjunction with the Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market, offering an array of baked goods, like cake slices, cookies and brownies. Customers can also arrange their own bouquets of mixed flowers.







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Pollen and Pastry has a commercial kitchen and floral studio on Morrissey Drive, as well as a pop-up location at 212 N. Center St. in downtown Bloomington.


CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPHER


Anderson said the company handles about 50 weddings a year, but they also help with birthdays, baby showers, funerals and more. Anderson thinks people like the two-in-one business because they don’t have to pay two separate fees.

“I think that combination is unique to begin with. We try to focus on local products as much as possible,” Anderson said. “So for the bouquets that we sell here at the store, we grow most of the flowers ourselves or we source them from a few flower farms in Champaign and other areas. I’ve always wanted to focus on local and sustainable products in my business.”







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Owner Candice Anderson displays macarons at the Pollen and Pastry Pop-Up located at 212 N. Center St. in downtown Bloomington.


CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPHER


Macarons are Pollen et Pâtisserie’s No. 1 seller. These sandwich-shaped cookies filled with jam, ganache or buttercream come in packs of six, but are also sold individually, with flavors rotating weekly.

Cakes are also popular, especially those made with chocolate chip cookie dough. The company also offers cupcakes, cookies, brownies, cookie cakes, cheesecakes, pies and more. Offerings often depend on the season.

The most popular flowers are peonies and tulips. Anderson said May is typically the busiest month in terms of flower sales, but the store is open year-round in both locations.







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Pollen and Pastry has a commercial kitchen and floral studio on Morrissey Drive, as well as a pop-up location at 212 N. Centre St. in downtown Bloomington.


CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPHER


“I think the different flavors that come out each week … are a big draw for customers,” Anderson said. “They can come in here every Saturday and see a whole new look and a whole different flavor menu, so it’s constantly changing. But overall, we have a lot of repeat business from ordering cakes on our website.”

Anderson works with a team of two part-time bakers and a part-time florist to help customers “celebrate special moments through beautiful flowers and distinctive desserts,” which is Pollen and Pastry’s slogan.







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Owner Candice Anderson shows off a coconut cake at the Pollen and Pastry Pop-Up located at 212 N. Center St. in downtown Bloomington.


CLAY JACKSON, THE PANTAGRAPH


Anderson said she couldn’t do it without her team because they’re reaching out not only to Bloomington-Normal, but also to other areas of central Illinois, including the Champaign and Peoria areas.

“It’s so much fun when someone opens the door and gets a delivery of desserts or flowers,” Anderson said. “So yeah, I think just helping people with their celebrations, and I really enjoy being downtown. It feels good to be a part of the city. … It’s been fun to have the more public side (with the pop-up store) and get to know people in person.

Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3352. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs

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