'Karens deserve some love': Edmonton shop giving back to women who share internet-dragged name

Free flowers for Karens A flower shop in Edmonton is offering free flowers for people named Karen after the name became a meme in 2020. David Ewasuk has the story.

EDMONTON — In 2020, the name Karen has become associated on social media with a specific type of middle-class white woman who exhibits her privilege and demands to “speak to the manager” to complain about the service.

One Karen in Edmonton – Karen Ferguson, a co-owner of Flowers on 50^th – is trying to give some love back to those who share her name.

When the shop started a promotion offering free flowers to anyone named Karen, it took off on social media.

“We are here for Karens for the next week so anyone named Karen can come in and get some free flowers,” read a sign outside the business’ door.

“We thought Karens deserve some love because of all the memes out there, some funny, some mean.”

One customer, named Karen, thought it was a great idea.

“I was talking to the owner; she feels the same pain. Her name is Karen so we go through the same thing and you kinda have to laugh at it,” she told CTV News Edmonton.

“This is a nice gesture.”

The owners of Flowers on 50th are surprised how fast it took off.

“I had no idea how many Karens there are. On one social media post, there was about 200 Karens tagged,” Ferguson said.

“One wrote: ‘Karen lol, you are the only manager I want to speak to!’”

The promotion runs for a week and Ferguson says the shop will have flowers for all the Karens that come in.

Flowers on 50th is located at 4008 50 Street.