By SCOTT AUST / Greater Garden City
Editor’s Note: This article is one of a series of stories this month celebrating Downtown Garden City merchants and businesses.
Growing up in Garden City, Erica Kuhlmeier loved coming downtown.
“I always knew when my mom was driving downtown because of the sound of the bricks,” she said during an interview inside her business Flourish Herbals & Aromatherapy. “It was always a signal, ‘Oh, we’re going downtown.’”
Kuhlmeier, a massage therapist, aromatherapist and herbalist, started Flourish in 2018 at 203 E. Laurel St.
Her face lights up when asked about being located in downtown Garden City.
“I love the vibe of small business owners. There’s kind of a tribe of us down here,” she said. “We’re a close-knit community down here, just trying to support all of the community. We support the ball teams, the music, the arts and different organizations and partnerships in the community.”
In the beginning, it was just Kuhlmeier, a second massage therapist and a lactation consultant/natal massage therapist.
“When we started, the shelves were bare. As we learned more, we got more stuff. Now there’s three massage therapists, three herbalists. We put the tea bar in during the pandemic in 2020,” she said.
Putting the tea bar in allowed Flourish to brew tea specifically for customers. They have also expanded their base of teas – green, black, white teas – this year and have a lot of functional herbal teas, infused oils and vinegars, infused salts. Basically, Kuhlmeier said, it’s herbs as food.
“We want to give you a nice cup of tea that tastes good but has a function in your body that has a positive result,” she said.
Flourish Herbals & Aromatherapy offers a variety products and services, including herbal tea; aromatherapy and oils; elixirs & tinctures; herbal supplements; and massage therapy including neuromuscular cupping, face and neck cupping and prenatal MFR.
The business also offers workshops from time to time. Coming up on December 18, Flourish is hosting a “Tea Time Talk about Grief” with Valarie Smith, LPC. At 7 p.m., Smith will lead a discussion about grief and Kuhlmeier will provide a soothing grief tea in a cozy, supportive environment.
Kuhlmeier said the community response to the business has been fantastic and being a part of a wellness team to help people makes it all worthwhile.
“I like the people that come in. They all have different stories. They all have unique needs,” she said. “Sometimes it’s a challenge but I love that, to map out different situations in their lives, whether it’s a kid who isn’t sleeping or pain your having in your body. To walk them through that and make it better is exactly why I get up every day.”
For Christmas, Flourish is open Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. also has a few “Make-N-Take” stations where a customer can come in and make their own bath salts or potpourri bundle. Flourish is also offering a bundle of three teas for $1 off. Gift certificates are available for store merchandise and massage appointments.
Flourish Herbals & Aromatherapy
203 E. Laurel Street
Website: https://flourish-herbals.com/
Phone: (620) 290-3416
Email: shop@flourish-herbals.com
Business Hours
Monday: 1 – 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday through Friday: 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sundays until Christmas: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
