Thirroul's Luca Luna florist sold; owner Tara Aston reflects on four 'magical' years

From her Lawrence Hargrave Drive floral retail haven, Luca Luna, Aston gathers up stems of soft pink paniculata and tells the story of a bunch of peach dahliahs bought at Friday's market (the seller is a small, local supplier who brings his 80-year-old father along to his stand each week). Slowly, she peels back the petals of a strawberry ripple rosebud until its once-tightly bound head opens out to twice its size. "These roses are from Columbia," she tells the Mercury. "They're called 'Magic Time'."

Four years since she opened Luca Luna, Aston has sold the business and worked her last day on Tuesday. But the 35-year-old leaves behind the still-trading Luca Luna name and a reputation for more than a little magic time.

When news she was selling hit Instagram, there was an outpouring of affection for "a shop like no other", "a sensory heaven", a "destination store for Thirroul" and "the most beautiful store in the Ilawarra".

"The best windows I have ever seen, lit up and magical like Christmas at Grace Bros in the old days," wrote one admirer.

More than bricks and mortar, Luca Luna has become a brand in itself and a landmark, known for its decadent window displays and luscious, stay-a-while in-store experience.

With Aston at the helm it has also become custodian of a town's stories, secrets and sadnesses. From the mum whose newborn baby has cancer, to the father whose son has just died by suicide, Aston has made bunches for them all.

"As much as it's sad, it's kind of a privilege because when people are so vulnerable, you're there," she said.

"And then there's been some really beautiful stories too.

"This whole four years has been really about connecting with the community and just meeting some amazing people."

Aston, one of five siblings and shy as a child, has worked in floristry since taking an industry traineeship out of high school. She moved from the South Coast to her husband's family's home town of Coledale 10 years ago and worked at flower shops in Warrawong, Figtree and Wollongong's Bunches before a century-old building on Thirroul's southern retail strip turned her head.

"I always had a love affair with this building in particular, so we would drive past here and I would say, 'if ever I was going to open something, it would have to be in this shop'. Then one day when we drove past here the business was for sale."

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Aston made her pitch, telling the then-operators she didn't want their business, just their lease.

"I nearly fell over when they said [yes]," she said.

"My intention was just to have a little flower shop. Even though it's a business, the intention was never, like, 'I want to come here and make lots of money'. I wanted to create a space that was really beautiful and I wanted to make a space that made people feel better when they left. I love that when people say, 'I'm coming in just because it makes me feel good'."

Aston named the business after an eclectic shop she'd found in Paris - Luka Luna. Relying on intuition and personal style, she knew how to stock the shop with beautiful things that would fly off the shelves - ceramics, small leather goods, fragrances and sculptural objects that spoke for themselves or looked fantastic against other pieces.

But she had never done a deal at the flower market and says she knew nothing about running a business - bottom lines, budgets, profit and loss.

"So I got a business coach to help me," she said.

"I was kind of thrown into a situation where I had no connections really in the industry, little knowledge.

"So I just had to start asking: 'how do I care for this plant?', 'When is this in season?' I remember going to the flower market and being so scared."

The tiny store got busy, fast. Within six months Aston needed to hire staff. When a solicitor's space next door became available she jumped at the chance to expand, taking down old burgundy venetians and ripping up office carpet to reveal a gorgeous set of in-tact timber floor boards.

'I thought I'd have this little store and I'd work and employ my best friend, but really quickly it was apparent I needed staff. I couldn't keep going to the market and working a 12-hour shift and then wake up and do it all again, so it kind of organically grew really big, really quickly."

Aston says she has come to love the relationships she has built at the Sydney market, which she visits three times weekly, setting her alarm for 3am.

"If the markets could open about four hours later I'd probably like it even better," she said.

"You're buying for a shop and you're thinking about budgets and that, but I still swoon if I see something amazing."

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Luca Luna has been sold to local businesswoman and Luca Luna customer Nardin Haynes, owner of The Bead Bar of Berry.

"I loved the aesthetic and the way the flowers and the plants blended with the homewares, I thought that was a really beautiful fusion," Ms Haynes said. "I do want to keep the brand similar and the styling similar because that's what we've come to love here in Thirroul, but I've also been in retail for 25 years so there might be more products that I can bring in that fit in with that style."

Aston says she doesn't know what she will do next but is relying, as always, on intuition.

"I'm a gut feeling person," she said. "When something feels right, it feels right and I just feel like there's something waiting for me. I've got to a stage where I'm really proud of what I've done and it's time to start something new, I just don't know what yet."

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