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The need to house the ever growing selection of inventory and wedding rentals has led Merkels Floral Studio Owner Kristin Goodell to expand her location in Mentor. (Marah Morrison — The News-Herald)
The need to house the ever-growing selection of inventory and wedding rentals has led Merkels Floral Studio owner Kristin Goodell to expand her location in Mentor.
Prior to relocating to 8494 Mentor Ave., Goodell owned both Merkels and Kleifeld’s Restaurant in Downtown Willoughby. When she first moved out of the shop that Merkels had called home since 1940, it was into the space Goodell is now expanding.
“The brand we’ve built is something I’m proud of,” she said. “It’s just the beginning. We’re currently doing some demolition because we are expanding into the unit next door, which is funny because when we first moved out of Willoughby, I went into the unit next door. Now, we’re combining the two. We need all the space.”
Goodell said combining the two units will also allow her to upgrade the business’s collaborating space into a luxury showroom.
“My vision is both defined, but also leaves space for creativity in the future,” she said. “We simply did need more space because our rental and inventory selection for events is growing. In addition, we wanted a bit more of a defined showroom.”
Goodell is calling her business a studio because not only is she an entrepreneur, but an artist as well.
“There’s something on my heart I’m trying to figure out and I don’t know if that’s diving back into pottery like I used to do,” she said. “I want there to be room for all forms of art. I don’t know what that looks like yet, but I’m excited.”
The location on Mentor Avenue allows for more visibility and the convenience of being located next to their partner, Brunner Sanden Deitrick Funeral Home and Cremation Center.
“We’ve connected our plazas so we have a seamless drive there and back,” Goodell said. “We’re there nearly every day.”
Goodell anticipates the expansion to be completed within a couple of months. After the two units are connected by drilling and demoing a wall, cosmetic work will take place.
“After that, we’re going to swap in some new furniture and be ready to go,” she said. “The moral of my story that I can testify time and time again is hard work pays off. God is as good in the valley as on the mountains and what is for you will not pass you up.”
What’s different about Merkels is many businesses that do weddings the way Merkels does only do weddings, Goodell said.
“We’re a full-service, retail shop,” she said. “We’re open and doing business seven days a week. We don’t have an off season, so that’s a beautiful thing.”
In terms of trends, Goodell is finding that she enjoys working with couples who trust the business.
“We like doing things that haven’t been done before. Installations and things that challenge us and make us think about new ways to use the same florals we do every day,” Goodell said.
Merkels is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
“Sundays, we’re doing deliveries and things like that for funerals specifically,” Goodell said.
For those looking to book with Merkels for weddings, Goodell encourages them to access the consultation form, which is available 24/7 at merkelsfloralstudio.com.
Not only does she love the people she meets and her team, the expansion allows Goodell to be exactly what she wants to be, she said.
“This allows me to be a business owner and creative artist,” she said. “A 2024 goal I’m working on is sustainability. That can be hard in this industry, so we’re trying to make that a focus. In addition, we’re going to focus more on philanthropy.”
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