This specialty shop stocks hand-picked flowers, candy, and more.
At Wister’s, every day feels like a celebration. Amanda Day Rose’s southside Virginia gift shop features “South Boston’s one and only candy bar and floral bar, where you can grab just a couple of stems for your desk at work or to brighten your home without having to invest in a larger arrangement,” Rose explains.
“With the candy bar we wanted to create an experience with a nostalgic feel.” she adds. “Wister’s is a comfortable space for families to shop together—kids can come and choose their favorite treats, and toys too, or adults can pick gourmet confections.”
Rose opened the shop after years of working in design and special events. The store, along South Boston’s Main Street—about halfway between Clarksville and Danville in Halifax County—is named for her grandfather, John Wister “JW”, who was known for his always-friendly face and “open-door-policy personality.”
The flower bar stays stocked with standards like roses and carnations, as well as more showy blooms like peonies, tulips, protea, quicksand roses, and ranunculus. Seasonal stems like dahlias, tulips, snapdragons, and strawflower are sourced from local flower farms. “The average customer can be intimidated walking into a florist if they don’t have a concrete idea of what they want,” Rose says. “Our DIY approach makes it a more comfortable space for people who aren’t as familiar with florals.”
At the candy bar, big sellers for celebrations like prosecco gummies, gourmet truffles, and candy-coated tootsie rolls, (which can be personalized in specific color blends) mingle with classics like old-fashioned candy sticks, dipped lollipops, Laffy Taffy, lemon heads, and jelly beans.
Rose shares that Mother’s Day is her biggest floral holiday of the year, “even bigger than Valentine’s Day!” Wister’s offers flower demos at the Downtown South Boston Farmers Market as well as a kid-friendly flower bar for children to make arrangements for their moms. WistersVa.com
