A new business is blooming in Mahomet. Flora Design officially opened their doors February 7,2015. Owners John and Julie Odum are longtime Mahomet residents and Julie Odum has operated a floral business out of her home for the last 15 years.
Specializing in weddings, Odum and her husband were recently inspired to expand the business and open Flora Design as a full-service floral design studio and gift shop. Flora Design is a small business that offers unique floral arrangements, personalized to each customer’s individual needs. The studio also features a gift shop focusing on artist-quality gift items that are handmade in the United States; each of these items is carefully chosen, aspiring to support other small, and often local, businesses.
Odum and her husband both graduated from the University of Illinois with art degrees and are passionate about creativity. They display the work of a different local artist monthly, hosting a public reception in the artist’s honor and displaying pieces of the artist’s work throughout the store while having it available for purchase.
Odum says that the different styles of art, each month, alter the vibe of the store and will continue to keep it fresh and inspired. Odum says her own creativity is what sets her apart from other designers. She follows unique European floral creators and stays one step ahead of the ever-changing trends by attending design conferences.
Flora Design has a lot of great ideas in the works to connect with the community. In addition to the artist’s receptions, she hopes to get members of the community involved by offering various workshops and events for both children and adults. She also plans to launch a program that will provide an opportunity to give-back by offering a percentage of sales from a selected arrangement to be donated to a different charity each month.
Flora Design is located at 202 N. East Street, across from Walgreens. It is easily accessible and services Mahomet and the surrounding areas with delivery. Walk-in customers are always welcome to come into the studio and select a prepared arrangement from the cooler; otherwise, purchasing will be made available online in the near future.
Of course, Odum always recommends giving her a call at 590-0581 to work with her personally to create a custom design.
