By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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LOVES PARK — A new flower shop along North Second Street will have familiar faces behind the flowers for former customers of Crimson Ridge.
Flowers on River Park, 430 River Park Road, is a new venture from Chad Aumann, who spent 23 years at Crimson Ridge before it closed in March. Aumann is the shop’s owner, and helping him run the business are floral designers and fellow Crimson Ridge alumni Roger Ebert and Lisa Hardy.
Ebert and Hardy each spent about a quarter century at Crimson Ridge, the popular Rockford retail and flower shop that ran for 27 years.
“It’s the same the employees as Crimson, just a different owner and a different location,” Aumann said.
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The trio’s years of working together made opening Flowers on River Park a seamless transition, and customers can expect the same quality of flowers and the same touch to customer service.
“There was no need to give anyone instructions. We all know what we do. We all know how to do it,” Aumann said. “We just all work together very well.”
The store quietly opened before Mother’s Day and has been adding to its selection since. It started offering cash and carry bouquets last weekend, and there are a variety of plants and dish gardens in stock as well as limited premade arrangements.
Flowers on River Park took over the former Nelson’s Flowers space after its owners retired and closed the shop roughly a year ago. Much of the equipment needed was in place, and Flowers on River Park remodeled to make the space its own. Natural light pours into the remodeled reception area from three large front windows.
“The store has been here for 60 years and I don’t know that it’s ever been updated,” Aumann said. “It’s not that we did a total remodel, but now it’s just bright, fresh, comfortable.”
About | Flowers on River Park
Where: 430 River Park Road, Loves Park
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays; closed Sunday. (Also open by appointment)
Contact: 815-904-6522
On the web: flowersonriverpark.com; facebook.com/flowersonriverpark; instagram.com/flowersonriverpark
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.