Fall River Florist Stays Hopeful After Car Crash Destroys Store

For Jayne Collins, this was supposed to be the weekend she celebrated a dream come true.

Her business, Rustic Rose Floral Designs, had just completed a full renovation inside 936 South Main Street in Fall River, with every detail finished, every bouquet ready. Then, on Tuesday, October 21, an SUV plowed through the front of the building, destroying what she and her landlord Manny Sarmento had just built.

“I was opening this weekend,” Collins said. “It’s just unfortunate. The entire place was just redone and they finished last week. I’m sure it will all work out, and I hope it’s not long before I can open.”

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What makes the situation even tougher is that this isn’t just any building; the same storefront had been hit by a vehicle once before. Collins had poured everything into transforming the former Main Street Florist space into something bright, welcoming and new for the neighborhood.

"Everyone Is OK — That’s All That Matters"

Collins said the driver looked down at her phone and swerved to avoid hitting another car head-on, instead crashing straight into the floral shop. The driver wasn’t injured, but the damage inside was catastrophic.

“She basically said she looked at her phone and was in the opposite lane,” Collins said. “The place was gorgeous, and now it’s completely demolished because of someone’s negligence that could have been avoided. Everyone is OK, that’s all that matters.”

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Collins said she’s still unsure how long insurance and repairs will take. The driver did have coverage, and Sarmento's policy will step in once that’s exhausted. In the meantime, Collins is staying hopeful she can still open using the side of the store that wasn’t damaged.

A Community Rooted in Support

Despite the setback, Collins said her landlord Sarmento has been nothing short of incredible. “He’s such a nice guy,” she said. “It was almost a blessing they owned it. They’ve been so nice the entire time.”

As frustrating as it is to see months of hard work and creativity destroyed, Collins is choosing optimism, determined to rebuild and reopen in the near future. Her story is a reminder that even when dreams are knocked down, the people behind them find ways to grow again.