After 14 years of operating out of Downtown Ada’s iconic “Little Red Schoolhouse” in the Thornapple River Shopping Plaza, boutique flower shop Artisan Flowers has moved into suite 115 of the nearby and newly constructed building at 425 Ada Drive, located just south of Fulton.
The move, as part of a larger overall redevelopment of Ada Village, comes after the Little Red Schoolhouse was purchased by Cheri DeVos, daughter of Amway founder Richard DeVos, Sr. According to plans announced following the July 24 Downtown Development Authority meeting, DeVos plans to relocate the historic structure during construction and then return it with upgrades to the riverfront park area as a candy and ice cream store.
Daisy Rzesa, owners of Artisan Flowers, says the move from their home in they historic school house to a new location gave the shop an opportunity to stay in the village while still continuing to focus on high-end flower and event design.
“This is exciting to be a part of the new vision for Ada,” Rzesa says. “We’ve raised our family and built a successful business here that has allowed us to build incredible relationships.”
Rzesa, who relocated to Ada with her husband Scott in 2001, opened Artisan flowers in 2003. Before that, Rzesa got her start designing flower arrangements for locals and celebrities as a florist on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan. There, she also graduated from the New York Botanical School of Floral and Design, completing a three-year design certification process to earn both AIFD and CFD accreditations from the American Institute of Floral Designers.
“My business has allowed me the privilege to create one-of-a-kind experiences with my floral designs and share in the lives of so many—whether through proms, weddings, birthdays, or other celebrations,” she says. “We look forward to our next new chapter.”
Artisan Flowers is open in its new location at 425 Ada Drive, suite 115 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Written by Anya Zentmeyer, Development News Editor
Images courtesy of Artisan Flowers/Daisy Rzesa
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.