Two Asian American women find friendship, healing in opening bakery

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- An Instagram message sparked a friendship and business venture between two Asian American women with a passion for creating.

Their blossoming friendship is also healing past trauma.

At first glance, Flour Atelier looks like a bakery, but you'll also find flowers and gifts -- a color palette soothing to the senses and a contemporary design that evokes a hushed excitement.

Deep in the throngs of COVID pandemic uncertainty, Chrisell Nguyen was let go from her job and dealing with postpartum depression. She began her healing process by way of baking, showcasing her work on her Instagram DIYSelly, catching the eye of Evelyn Itsumi Osburn.

"More than it being baked goods or flowers, I think it's just the feeling that I get from when people see what we create and what we give to them, and the feedback we get and the happiness," Osburn said to FOX 5/KUSI.

The shop, which opened in December, is in the heart of Kearny Mesa's Convoy District.

"I finally afforded a plane ticket to Japan and I brought my son for his birthday. As I was planning my itinerary, a woman on Instagram DM'ed me, and it happened to be Evelyn," Nguyen said.

"I just wanted to learn more and see if I could be an assistant to her," Osburn said.

Osburn moved to San Diego, where their friendship blossomed. Three years later, they founded Flour Atelier.

But the healing process Nguyen started in 2020 continues to this day.

"To sum it up, no one from my family was at my grand opening, so it sucks but my successes are more so something they would look down upon than to support," Nguyen said.

It is clear that the lack of support from her family was just scratching the surface.

"There are a lot of things in my life I was going through as far as trauma, so in my creations I was giving love back to what I made," Nguyen said.

Her Filipino desserts are inspired from recipes she learned from her late grandmother, each delicacy tied to a childhood memory with her.

In the labor pains of birthing Flour Atelier, Nguyen and Osburn found sisterhood.

"I wouldn't have done this without Chrisell, and Chrisell says she would not have done this without me, also," Osburn said.

From an Instagram follow to friendship and healing, the two are on track to inspiring the next generation of Asian American women.