Beloved creative brand enters another decade in full bloom.
When Karyn Brooke opened Sidelines Custom Floral Designs in 1984, little did she know that her little shop would grow into a celebrated design icon and treasured community pillar. 40 years later, Sidelines stands as a testament to her creativity, leadership, and dedication to growing a hand-picked team.
“I look back at the numbers now and can’t believe it,” Brooke told us at the Sidelines VIP anniversary party as 2024 wound down. “Forty years. It’s amazing to see how much we’ve grown and how far we’ve come, together.”
Karyn Brooke owns and operates Sidelines Custom Floral Designs, Inc.
Celebrating 40 years in style with a VIP party.
Sidelines has come very far, indeed. The business has grown into a priority partner for event planners in every corner of Kansas City and beyond. Brooke’s even been known to travel across the country, from Lake Tahoe to New York, to put exquisite touches on celebrity golf tournaments and other glitzy special occasions for friends and businesses who refuse to do without her. Brands ranging from global corporate elites to The Knot and WeddingRule.com, can’t be wrong. After 40 years, word-of-mouth drives her bottom line far more than any advertising.
“They know I’m all in,” Brooke said, reflecting on the tireless work ethic that’s powered her momentum from the start. “Superior service and personalized attention make up my promise to customers. They count on Sidelines to work harder, and do more.”
Earning the budgets of celebrities, world class companies, and high-profile organizations is a glossy badge of success, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Brooke also measures success in the way her staff blossoms creatively. She thrives on giving them opportunities to bring Sidelines’ legendary collaborative spirit to life.
“Running a business isn’t just about making money. It’s more about building a team and piecing together individual talents to see what’s possible. You can’t succeed, I mean really succeed, alone. And in a business like mine, the bar is set especially high.”
A taste of Thanksgiving and togetherness at the shop with the Sidelines team in 2024.
Inside Sidelines, the team’s camaraderie and collective imagination grow like vines on 135th Street. Kelsey Hall, a 10-year employee, says Brooke wants everyone to share ideas and learn from each other. “She gives us the freedom to be creative while meeting customers’ needs.”
Hall has a degree in plant sciences, and tinkered with employment that matched, but ultimately couldn’t resist the life she cultivates at Sidelines. “I took a short break to work in a lab, but I missed it so much. I had to come back. I really love what I do here, and all the people.”
Kelsey Hall has worked at Sidelines for over a decade.
Suze Merritt knows Karyn Brooke and Sidelines inside and out. She’s been on the payroll since the beginning, and more importantly, a personal friend of Brooke’s even longer. Merrit says she’s watched decade-after-decade as Brooke inspires everyone around her with a focus on what’s beautiful, what’s exciting, and what’s next.
“She’s always had an incredible eye,” Merritt told us. “I’ve seen her dive in boldly, over-and-over again, to push boundaries and try new things. And I think that kind of innovative spirit defines us. It’s fundamental to a certain, higher quality that our customers don’t believe they could get somewhere else. There’s a reason we’ve done weddings for couples long ago, and now we’re doing weddings for their kids. Our customers believe in us, and they stick with us through generations.”
Suze Merritt has been with Sidelines since the beginning.
Merritt has been with Sidelines since the beginning, including through the pandemic crisis.
Denise Hilt has watched Brooke and Sidelines rise over the last 25 years. That’s how long Hilt has been an employee at the business she loves, working under a leader she admires. A quarter century.
“I really appreciate how Karyn’s constantly focused on change. We are always changing and evolving and growing and growing forward, whether it’s strategically improving or creating a new area of our business, or a sudden idea that could turn into something big. She’s very savvy in that way. A very smart business person with extraordinary instincts. Ask anyone.”
Not even the COVID pandemic could weaken Brooke’s drive. Rather than just waiting for the crisis to pass, she turned the downtime into an opportunity, redesigning the Sidelines website and launching a companion merchandise site, HeyHootie.com, to extend reach and gift offerings beyond floral arrangements. And that’s just one example of her persistence, extraordinary resourcefulness, and love of entrepreneurship over 40 years.
“She really understands how it all needs to operate,” Merritt explained. “I’ve seen floral shops that are only focused on dollars and cents, and their quality suffers. I’ve also seen shops go crazy on the creative side and then go bankrupt. Karyn makes everything count, and she’s smart about all of it. That’s why we’re still here and thriving, as 2025 begins.”
Needless to say, Sidelines is a landmark Martin City business, drawing a steady stream of customers, and attracting visitors with everything from routine events that bring people together to a classy splash of floral color on the bricks of Sidelines’ exterior.
You can’t miss the Sidelines mural on 135th Street.
Sidelines regularly hosts a pop up market just outside its doors.
All of it, from the magic of extraordinary products and service, to the simple feeling of community you sense just stepping inside Sidelines, tells the story of a business devoted to forging and celebrating lasting connections. Where would we be without Sidelines Custom Floral? Like so many fans over 40 years, we never want to find out.