Tammy McQuinn owns The Willow Branch with her sister Rebecca Buntsma. They lost their store on March 6, 2025, to a fire that started in the upstairs apartments.
“This can’t be. This can’t be real,” said McQuinn.
The Willow Branch relocated in the same area of historic downtown Bowmanville at 19 King St. W. The welcoming atmosphere hits you as soon as you pass under the green awning.
It is not just for flowers. They also support other small businesses that may not have a storefront. The sisters are dedicated to making everyone who walks through their door feel important.
They opened their new storefront on August 9, 2025, after losing their old store. Their store has a wide selection of flowers and bouquets to purchase, and the flower business runs in their family.
Tammy and Rebecca’s grandfather, Abe Buntsma, owned Reed’s Flowers for 10 years. He spent years expanding the business and finding new ways to purchase fresh and sturdy flowers.
The sisters worked at a different flower shop, Tammy stopped working there when she got pregnant for the second time, and Rececca stayed but left when the owner sold to another person.
Afterwards, they decided to open their own store. The Willow Branch opened in its original location, 73 King St. W., on April 1, 2017. Their new store is down the street from their old location and has a similar ambience but is smaller.
Walking in off the sidewalk, the door is already open to create an approachable environment. There is a smiling face behind the counter ready to greet everyone who enters the space.
The sisters have a small office in the back connected to the cooler for flowers, but you can find them around the store ready to chat with customers. Tammy and Rebecca embrace everyone into their community, no matter who they are.
“My favourite part is the people who come in just because they see you from the window,” said Kelly Litman, an employee at The Willow Branch.
Community and connection are what makes Tammy and Rebecca stand out from other small businesses, their care and respect for all customers and staff foster a family dynamic where everyone is welcome.
But on March 6 when a fire started in the apartments above The Willow Branch and other businesses, the community came together.
“I woke up to pictures from the gentleman who lived upstairs of the building, engulfed in flames,” said McQuinn.
Their store was not damaged from the fire, but the water used to extinguish the fire flooded their store leaving them with nothing. The store was closed for several months before they were able to reopen.
“The five months that we were not together, it was tough, we really did miss each other,” said Litman.
They had overwhelming support from the community to be able to open their store. A BBQ fundraiser was held weeks after the fire to raise money for the businesses that were destroyed.
They sold over 500 bunches of tulips in the first two hours of the event to support the reopening of their store.
The grand opening pulled in an immense number of people. The store was packed.
Tammy and Rebecca have dedicated their time into creating a welcoming space for anyone to join, everyone who walks in their door is now a part of their family. They foster a positive and supportive place for everyone in and outside the community.
“It’s important that you know that we’re more than something, that we’re more like a family,” said Litman.