Buds 2 Blooms opens just in time for holiday giving

Birth, graduation, engagement, wedding, anniversary, retirement. So many occasions to celebrate -- not to mention holidays. And they are coming up.

Looking for the right gift? Just ask Stacey Bowles or Judy Kohler, owners of Buds 2 Blooms Floral & Gifts in Marion, or drop by their shop at 205 N. Carbon St.

The newly opened Buds 2 Blooms offers both fresh and silk flower arrangements and gift baskets for all occasions, which might be filled with anything from lotions, soaps and bath balms to soy candles and melts to specialty foods by Stonewall Kitchens.

Need a gift for an expectant mother? From furry friends to fluffy bath towel, Buds 2 Blooms has plenty to fill a gift basket.

The shop also provides what Bowles calls "a comfort room," where floral arrangements for funeral or memorial services can be made in privacy.

She said it's important for people to be able to make these plans in "a private place with a comfortable setting."

Customer service is important to both Bowles and Kohler, who each have decades of experience working with the public.

Bowles has been a floral designer for 25 years and owned her own shop 15 of those years in Metropolis, her hometown. When she got married and moved to Marion, Bowles had already begun thinking about her next business venture, and that's where her mother-in-law comes in.

Yes, Kohler is her mother-in-law.

A native of Harrisburg, Kohler moved to Marion in the 1960s and worked in financial services until she retired nine years ago.

"Stacey wanted to open a shop. I take care of the books and she does the floral design," Kohler said.

Last weekend, the two celebrated the grand opening of their shop with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Marion Chamber of Commerce.

Business hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. For more information, call 618-997-BUDS (2837).