April 19, 2024

Flowers ‘N More soon to celebrate 40th anniversary

By TYRA AUDLEHELM

Pictured from back from left, are Flowers 'N More employees Amanda Foley, owner Ronda Audlehelm, Sheryl Jacobson, front from left, Kay Frizzell and Teri Robinson. Not pictured is Rae Ellen Cloke. (OST photo)

Flowers ‘N More will be celebrating its 40th anniversary Oct. 1 and everyone at the shop is gearing up for it. After 40 years of owning Osceola’s downtown flower shop Ronda Audlehelm is looking back on how it all happened.

“I started in the floral industry through the greenhouse business. Chuck and Jan Brandhorst trained me to work at their business, Osceola Greenhouse at 630 S. Park Street in approximately 1974. My first job there was to transplant the tomato plant seedlings from a flat into the packs. I then worked my way into training inside the flower shop,” said Audlehelm. “ In the spring of 1979 they sold the business to the Redfern Brothers and they ran it one spring planting season. Then they decided to move the flower shop part downtown in August of that year to the northeast corner of the square and close the greenhouse. They asked me to manage it for them. After a month they asked if I’d like to buy the shop. I became the owner on Oct 1.”

There have been many changes in the floral industry since 1979.

“The internet has completely changed how we sell flowers,” said Audlehelm.

There are also many more types of flowers available now. For example, there were about a half dozen different types of basic colors of roses in 1979. Today, there are hundreds of colors of roses to choose from. Design styles and preferences have all changed in the last 40 years in the floral industry.

The busiest day of the year at Flowers ‘N More is Valentines Day. Mother’s Day is another busy day and the whole month of December leading up to Christmas is a busy time for the shop. Prom season every year keeps the shop busy as well. Summer is the slowest time of the year.

“This is a wonderful flower sending community,” said Audlehelm. “Not every town is.”

Flowers ‘N More has employed as few as one employee in the beginning to as many as seven part time employees. Many were trained right there on the job.

“I can go on and on about how much I love my shop, customers, employees and the flower business,” said Audlehelm. “I just feel so blessed to be able to work with God’s handiwork.”