Mountain Lake Floral celebrating 40 years in business

MOUNTAIN LAKE, Minn. (KEYC) - Mountain Lake Floral is celebrating a special milestone.

Nene Smestad started working as a florist in high school.

“Flowers just cheer everybody up. If you’re having a bad day, stop in and buy a stem of daisies. It just cheers everybody up,” Smestad said.

After graduation, she opened her own shop.

“We bought the building, remodeled a little bit, opened it up in May of 1982,” Smestad explained.

Four decades later, Mountain Lake Floral has become a town staple.

“I do weddings, funerals, birthdays, proms-- there’s just something all the time going on,” Smestad listed.

Smestad has grown close with her clients over the years, and now, a new generation.

“I have had weddings. I now have their children’s weddings, and it’s kind of crazy,” Smestad said. “That to me is really cool that they’re coming back, that next generation.”

The city council recognized the shop’s 40th anniversary with a proclamation last week.

It declared April 14, 2022 as Mountain Lake Floral Day.

Smestad hopes to keep business blooming for years to come.

“Maybe I can go another five years or we’ll see,” Smestad mentioned.

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