Coronado City Manager Tina Friend said that things “weren’t going well” with the Coronado Flower Lady and the city will reconsider its use of Rotary Plaza, where the Flower Lady business has operated since 1981.
“We’ve had a very long history of late payments and non-payments, and we’ve threatened revocation of permits before,” said Friend at the Coronado City Council meeting on August 18. “We’ve had a difficult past with this particular vendor.”
The City of Coronado also responded to a public records request, sending along a document dated April 14, 2026, that showed that Shanel Albert, the owner of the Coronado Flower Lady, was three months behind on rent. The document also showed that Albert had not repaid her COVID small business loan, for which there was a balance of $15,8070.83.
But Albert — who has owned and run the Coronado Flower Lady business since 2016 — says she’s current on her monthly rent. She doesn’t owe the city anything, she says, except the remainder of her COVID loan, which she says she’s been paying in monthly installments.
Albert says she was shocked earlier this month when she recieved a letter from the City of Coronado, dated July 30, that said her commercial use permit was set to expire on August 31. The email said she must stop doing business at Rotary Plaza and vacate the premises before the permit expired.
And she disputed Tina Friend’s statement to City Council.
“I don’t owe the city any rent,” said Albert. “There have been times I have paid for multiple months at a time, like I’ve always done for the last 10 years. I don’t want people to think I owe the city anything, because I don’t.”
She says that until recently, there has always been a casual agreement with the city, whereby she would come in and pay in big chunks, two and three months at a time. She said that’s the way it’s always been, since the inception of the Flower Lady Business in 1981.
Furthermore, Albert says no one from the city contacted her regarding her rent and how it was paid.
“It was nothing out of the ordinary until it became ‘something’ to someone,” she said.
Before Friend addressed the city council, several residents spoke in support of the Coronado Flower Lady. Longtime resident Maris Dunn Yaple asked the city to reconsider ending Albert’s permit.
“She has contributed to the charm and ambience of Rotary Plaza with her beautiful, fragrant flowers, which bring joy to all who pass,” she said. “Coronado has enjoyed 45 years of the Coronado Flower Lady at Rotary Plaza, and I hate to see it end.”
Mila Albertson said the Flower Lady has become an “ambassador” for the city, as tourists often stop by to ask for recommendations. She says she’s also sad to lose the city’s only florist.
“I usually buy flowers there once a week,” said Albertson. “Sure, you can go into Vons and buy some flowers and hope to put something together, but there’s no flower store here that you can go to.”
Patricia Faircloth said the Coronado Flower Lady is a cultural icon and has become part of neighborhood atmosphere of Coronado. She said the first “real color and vibrancy” that visitors see when they visit the island comes from the flower stand.
“I’m disappointed city council decided to get rid of it in closed session without the general public knowing,” said Faircloth. “I feel you should reconsider.”
Later, Friend shared that the city had intended to keep the matter private, as it was a business transaction. But because of public concern and misinformation, she thought it was important to share more details.
Friend said that August 31 was a “natural end” of Albert’s conditional use permit, which was issued five years ago.
“The city really does want to support small businesses, and all the vibrancy for the reasons we heard from the community today,” said Friend. “That’s something that matters greatly to the council. But there is also a very overwhelming duty for the integrity of public property and the stewardship of public property.”
She said that nothing has been decided, and that no deal has been struck with another business or vendor.
“It’s an opportunity for the city to pause and consider the use of the park,” said Friend. “Is there a different activation? Do we want another vendor there? Could it be flowers, or is it something else?”
