Fronted by a wide array of plump, bright orange pumpkins and hanging plants, locally owned creativity blooms inside 1-800Flowers|Flowerama Iowa City. Rows of vibrant greenery and flowers flourish throughout the store, mingling with painted clay pots, intricate decorations, and shelves stocked with trinkets and gifts.
Whether she’s arranging flowers into a bouquet for customers, crafting new displays, or helping a customer find the perfect plant, owner Tamy Vorhes moves through the store like a fish gliding through water — calm, fluid, and full of purpose.
Each display is carefully designed — not just for looks, but for the story it tells. For Vorhes, arranging flowers and plants isn’t just retail, it’s an art form.
As the only co-branded franchisee with 1-800-Flowers, the Iowa City Flowerama location is fully and proudly locally owned. Vorhes, a mother of four and grandmother of one, is also the only single mother to own a Flowerama store, a point of pride fueling her passion and purpose.
“I try to create a family environment in the store, because that vibe definitely passes on to the customer,” Vorhes said.
This sense of family extends to her employees, who describe Flowerama as a supportive, welcoming place.
“I’ve only been working here a couple of days, but I already feel accepted, and [coming to work is] something I look forward to throughout the week,” new employee Kara Austin said.
With orders coming in both online and in person, the shop is constantly bustling. Because flowers are perishable, the pace is quick and nearly everything is made in-house.
“Other stores get their arrangements shipped to them, whereas we make every single arrangement here by scratch,” Austin said.
The flowers are shipped to the store in boxes every week and are dry-packed, meaning the store rehydrates them upon delivery. Although they require quite the workload, these beautiful arrangements are popular for a reason — they make for the perfect, timeless gift.
“If you’re an Iowa student, you need to get your girlfriend some flowers here,” Owen Schneider, a third-year University of Iowa student stopping by to grab something special, said.
But flowers and plants aren’t the only things blooming inside the shop. Several displays feature products from local businesses.
Artwork from local artists who struggle with disabilities that make it hard for them to succeed in their profession, find a home in their own dedicated array of shelves. The brand gives 50 percent of profits back to the artists.
Another beloved display, the “Kids Corner,” holds a special place in Vorhes’s heart — and in the hearts of Iowa City residents.
“The whole inspiration for the Kids Corner was the children’s hospital, and coming up with ways of making gift baskets for the kids so they had activities to keep them busy while they were ill and not able to run around as much,” Vorhes said.
Recycled crayons formed in fun molds, dry clay, paper airplanes, and plush puppets represent something more than just fun toys. The display is a symbol of community support.
Through her limitless imagination and understanding of the community, Vorhes turned Flowerama into more than just a flower shop, and she continuously strives for improvement every day. The shop is a celebration of Iowa City’s artistic spirit, and one that continues to grow with every floral arrangement and creatively-imagined display
