E’s Florals has been a fixture in the area for 17 years, with 15 of those at its current location at 101 Prairie Lane, Solon. According to Elissa Lewis, who along with her husband, John, own, the popular floral shop, business has picked up and it has been great coming off of last year’s pandemic.
Elissa or “E” as she’s known, says one way they’ve adapted to last year’s pandemic downturn was by offering bouquets designed for people staying at home. “The bouquets and flowers were a way for people to keep in touch and to send happy and positive vibes,” she said. “We all needed it.”
Like many businesses, small and large, she says they faced challenges primarily with product supply due to manufacturing shortages caused by shutdowns.
“Supply has been a nightmare-and-a-half,” she explained, adding the largest pinch was during Mother’s Day. “Our biggest worry at that time was not knowing if flowers were coming in and how they were going to get to us.” She added that some shipments sat on a “tarmac for three days.”
Although most of their business has gotten back to normal, Lewis says an area where they are still feeling effects is the availability of vases and glass containers. “We’re still going through it somewhat. Glass prices have tripled and we’re being flexible with everybody’s budget,” she said. “You have to be.”
After the initial COVID wave, Lewis says she’s been able to refocus the direction of the floral shop.
“We’re becoming less a “gifty” shop and more floral based.” Their success has also allowed her to hire both a part-time and full-time employee. “It’s been great to have help.”
Humble beginningsA long-time Solon resident, Lewis has been in the floral industry for over 25 years.
“I worked at a flower shop in Marion for nine years travelling back and forth.” And she noted that opening a flower shop in Solon wasn’t part of her original plan.
“I was looking for a place to work here and talked with the owner of Catnip Meadows. She told me ‘No’ — she didn’t have a job for me, but said I could buy the business. That’s not what I asked,” she said, laughing.
After considering the proposition, Lewis says her husband agreed the timing was right.
“He told me, ‘We have to do this.’” Not looking back, Lewis says owning and operating E’s Florals has been great, but it’s also had its ups and downs.
“I love Solon and our location is ideal between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids,” she said. “Our customers appreciate that they can get flowers and plants locally.”
Currently, visitors to the floral shop are able to browse a variety of florals, collectibles, and home items. “Flowers are still our number one. We offer custom floral bouquets for all occasions, including weddings and anniversaries, and everlasting arrangements for the home,” she explained. The floral shop delivers to a 75- to 100-mile radius from Solon.
Growing along with SolonAs a former member of the Solon economic group, Lewis said they had difficulty attracting businesses to the area and she would see the same five people at the meetings.
“Solon was struggling 10 to 15 years ago, and I’m delighted at how the city has come back as a destination with new businesses, restaurants, and retail shops.
“Watching Solon grow is amazing. We’re loving it. It’s the perfect small town and it’s so much fun. Everyone is supportive of our community and small businesses.”
Lewis is pragmatic when it comes to the future of E’s Florals and says she’ll examine trends as they occur and look at what people are interested in.
“It’s fun to think down the road, and trends come and go,” she said. “We’re not going anywhere and we’ll still take care of our brides.”