10/26/2026
This is the last week of Stems being in business. It will mostly be spent packing up what’s left and moving items to other florists and Goodwill.
This has been a journey of growth for me and all those that have ever been involved with the store. I started at Stems in January of 2019. I had little experience but was trained by the owner at the time, Renaye, and learned more in 8 months than I ever dreamed I could. Little did I know I’d be buying the shop several years later.
I changed it ever so slightly and made it my own. The sales declined over the years after Covid and never bounced back. I had faith we would but it just never happened. With the new ownership of Utica Square things have changed and rental fees were upped to where it became unmanageable to keep up with and left me no choice but to close.
I’ve made many friends over the years and appreciate those amazing relationships that I’ve forged. I wouldn’t be who I am today had I not met so many wonderful people.
God has a plan for me and has already started opening doors for me. I’ve accepted an amazing position at Amber Marie & Co. as their jewelry manager and I’m excited to see where this new chapter of my life takes me.
Thank you to my parents and the best employee I could ever possibly have, Riley, for helping me not just over the past several weeks but years, both packing and moving and keeping me sane and uplifting me. This has been the hardest thing I’ve done in my life and it won’t be over after the store is gone. I’ll have many more struggles to overcome.
Thank you to my loyal customers that have followed Stems over the years even through the ownership changes. I have strived to keep Stems’ artistic style in tact over the years and am proud of all that we did and have been a part of. Thank you for sharing in your joys, celebrations and even your sorrows. I am forever grateful.
You can come and say your goodbyes to the store and to me this week but I’ll still be in the square so come by and see me at my new gig at Amber Marie!
I truly love you all!
-Meredith
