The FlowerLoft floral designer, Tanya Suton, prepares a flower arrangment for the store on 4611 Elida Rd.
The FlowerLoft:
Address: 4611 Elida Road
Contact: 419-331-4426
LIMA — For past 28 years The FlowerLoft on 4611 Elida Rd. has been providing the community with not only flowers and plants, but other essential outdoor items.
FlowerLoft owner Brian Joseph got started in the floral industry shortly after going to school for landscape and design. He went on to work at a flower shop and greenhouse in 1985 for five years. On April 1, 1990, he started his own business.
The floral shop has moved locations four times, each time expanding its space and merchandise. The current location is twice the size than the last time to accommodate for more employees , customers and the busier flow.
When it first opened, The FlowerLoft mainly sold plants and flowers and now they sell gift items like wind chimes, lanterns, candles, garden stones, wreaths and more.
“We decided to start selling gift items because it was just a kind of the way it trended,”said Joseph. “We realized that people like gift items for funerals and things along that line instead of flowers.”
When it comes to flowers, roses are the store’s biggest sellers. The store also offers a variety of flowers and plants such as carnations, daisies, lilies, sunflowers, snap dragons, larkspurs, and more.
Customers can purchase items online or utilize its local delivery service that delivers flowers across Allen County. The florist also does funeral work, makes flower arrangements for Lima Memorial Hospital and has a FTD service that wire flowers out of town for people who live in different cities or states.
Whether flowers are purchased at his location or another, buying flowers locally is very important, according to Joesph.
“People go on the internet to purchase flower and its fine, as long as its local,” said Joseph. “There are people on the internet who pretend to be local, but all they are doing is taking your information and your money and sending it to a local flower shop.”
If you shop local it is more personal and you get better quality and customer service, according to Joesph.
“We have excellent customer service here and we really enjoy meeting everyone in the community,” said The FlowerLoft employee, Heather Liening. “We want them to come back. If you treat people the way you want to be treated they will come back and support you.”
Reach Camri Nelson at 567-242-0456 or on Twitter @CamriNews
