NEW PALESTINE — The COVID-19 pandemic and nearby roadwork are forcing a floral shop that’s been in town for decades to close, its owner says.
Rose Lady Floral’s last day is Saturday, Aug. 15 at its location at 51 W. Main St. The building and business are for sale.
Sarah Kirlin has owned the business since December 2017, when she bought it from its previous owner, who ran it for 18 years.
The pandemic impacted Rose Lady Floral, like many businesses, starting with the lockdown. After it was allowed to open back up, events for which people usually get flowers weren’t happening or had changed drastically due to social distancing restrictions and concerns. That includes funerals, Kirlin said, which made up a large part of her business.
The pandemic also started shortly into the floral industry’s busy season, which kicks off in February around Valentine’s Day, continues into the spring with school proms and on into May for Mother’s Day.
“So it was a really unfortunate timing issue too, to not be able to have the doors open or even be here, as we were not essential workers,” Kirlin said.
The traffic-restricting intersection improvements at U.S. 52 and County Road 500W just to the west of her shop that have been ongoing since April didn’t help matters, Kirlin said.
Rose Lady Floral has two part-time employees.
Kirlin started in the floral industry right out of high school and has worked in it for 20 years. She worked for Cumberland Flowers in Indianapolis for 11 years and always wanted to run her own business.
She said serving the community is what she’ll miss the most about operating her floral shop.
“It’s been a challenge and a blessing to be able to try my hand at owning something and doing it on my own,” she said, adding she’s not yet sure what she’ll do next.
John Lytell, a New Palestine-based insurance agent, is a longtime customer of Rose Lady Floral. He likes to get flowers for his wife and customers as well as for occasions like birthdays and holidays. Lytell also likes to use flowers in marketing for his business.
“I was really disappointed and sad for the town and for her and their family,” he said of Rose Lady Floral’s closing. “I know they invested a lot of time and effort and money into it.”
A lot of businesses are going through troubling times amid the pandemic, Lytell continued.
“I hope when the road’s open again and the atmosphere’s a little different, things will come back,” he added.
Becky Gaines, co-founder of the former New Palestine History Museum, said Rose Lady Floral has been in New Palestine since she moved to town 30 years ago. It used to be across Main Street from where Town Hall is currently located before it moved to the west, she said.
“I hate to see her close,” Gaines said. “Every time we have a road closure like we’ve had, we lose businesses.”
