Meet Julie Quinones & Moriah Johnston of Glen Garden Gifts and Flowers- Heart of the Business
An interview with Moriah Johnston
Cover photo by Karl Yost Photography.
Pictured: Julie Quinones, Co-Owner | Moriah Johnston, Manager
How did your story Begin? What inspired you to take the leap into entrepreneurship?
Glen Garden Gifts has been a staple of Yellow Springs for decades, starting out of the home of Esther Baldwin and eventually being cherished by four additional owners, including Patsy Gardner and the Currents of Current Cuisine. Each owner has nourished the business as more of a service to the people of Yellow Springs than just a retail operation. It was a vibrant part of the community fabric when the Quinones family purchased it in 2004.
Owner Julie comes from five generations of florists in the Springfield area, and Glen Garden Gifts brought back all those feelings of nostalgia for her. She and her husband Tony wanted to keep it vibrant, just like the town! Something about this shop inspires its owners and employees to invest deeply in its community roots. Generations of kids have worked at the flower shop after school and on Saturdays. Local vendors, flower-growers, and artists have found a home there. People know it’s a space that truly cares about Yellow Springs, and that’s a wonderful feeling to embrace as an owner.
What do you love most about owning and running a business in Yellow Springs?
As a manager and long-standing employee of Glen Garden Gifts, I (Moriah Johnston) love intimate community work. I love getting an annual call from former Yellow Springs residents who still send flowers to friends in town. I love knowing our customers’ names or knowing exactly what card their mom would like because I’ve been helping them for 20 years.
On the other side of that, building a sense of wonder and welcoming tourists feels like a treat. I get to share my snapshot of what Yellow Springs is as a community with someone completely new.
What products, services, or experiences of yours do people love most, and why are they special to you?
We have exceptional flowers; we really do. We hold high standards for both quality and design. For a small-town shop, we show a lot of versatility in flower choices and the many aesthetics we offer. Not every floral shop can do that, and it’s all thanks to our amazingly creative employees. They truly care about our customers.
We also carry a huge selection of locally made giftware: hand-painted Jennifer Berman items, handmade soy candles, Emma Weir greeting cards, Crux Calix wood crafts, and so many more. Everything is unique! When customers want something made in town, they come here.
Our non-local giftware is unique for Yellow Springs as well. We’ve long been a go-to spot for children’s books, all the classics, and we have a huge selection of Hallmark cards. It’s a one-stop shop for any occasion where you want to gift something fun and beautiful. Our customers love that!
What is the biggest challenge your business is facing right now, and how are you working through it?
Sales are minimal, and costs are skyrocketing. We source about half of our flowers locally during the growing season, but the rest of the year we rely on distributors and international imports. Most of the flowers customers want don’t grow in Ohio, especially not from October through April. Tariffs hit the floral industry hard. Fortunately, our distributors absorbed many of the losses, knowing shops would close if already-rising prices jumped even higher.
We see a decent amount of foot traffic, but being in the store doesn’t always equate to making a purchase. We’ve also seen a decrease in weddings as people opt for simpler, more affordable ceremonies. And we lose business to the convenience of Kroger…and Kroger’s parking.
We’ve addressed this by running more promotions: offering more free local delivery to eliminate parking concerns, inviting vendors to set up for free in front of the store to draw browsers, and hosting events and classes to help people engage with us more.
“We understand how impactful the intimacy of flowers can be, and we truly value what it means to be part of our villagers’ most defining life moments.“
When you’re not at your business, where is your favorite place to shop, eat, or unwind in Yellow Springs?
Owners Julie and Tony love to dine at Peaches! Our employees are daily visitors to Dino’s, the Emporium, and Current Cuisine. We all shop at Tom’s for our groceries, and our manager is addicted to the lattes from Ellie’s Restaurant. We could never choose just one favorite retail location!
Where do you call home, and how does that community influence the way you do business?
After generations of owning a family floral business, Julie was used to city-level floristry. Purchasing Glen Garden Gifts brought a different pace, one that she has embraced and nourished.
Our sister store in Springfield is a different beast entirely: a well-oiled machine of floral wizardry operating at a pace that makes our heads spin. Online orders come in by the hundreds each week, and florists work through a constant stream of designs to create.
Glen Garden Gifts, by contrast, has been shaped by small-town rhythms. At any moment, we might have three weddings and six funerals to prepare for…or zero orders but 30 gingerbread houses to make for our window display. The environments of these two shops are night and day, and we love it that way.
What are the top three things you love most about being a small business owner?
- The people: those we partner with, serve, and employ.
- The artistry of flowers: beautiful natural elements and a true art form that’s often undervalued but deeply cherished in this community.
- Our fellow business owners: they are always here for us, advocating for us. We love them all!
What is the mission or heart behind your business—the “why” that keeps you going?
Community service. Many of the specialized-service businesses in town have closed, most recently the hardware store. We serve the villagers: a place where locals can come when they need help memorializing a loved one or celebrating a new baby. We want to keep that here for people.
We are the daytime bartenders of the village, we often know people’s news before it’s public, and we respect that. We understand how impactful the intimacy of flowers can be, and we truly value what it means to be part of our villagers’ most defining life moments.
What’s something else that people might not know about you or your business that you wish they did?
We offer so many flower services. We’ll decorate your entryway or make living wreaths for your backyard. We can source olive tree rentals for your event or build a full wedding installation. We sell monthly flower subscriptions! We can set up a flower bar for your event.
And we deliver to all of Greene County!
In addition to running this small business, what other hats do you wear?
Julie often works six days a week at her shop in Springfield and, like most small business owners, is on constant call for anything either shop needs. As if that weren’t enough, she’s an active member of Pilot Club, and she and her husband Tony are the coolest and most loving grandparents, spending lots of time with their family.
Glen Garden’s day-to-day operations are run by Moriah, who also operates a professional pet-sitting company and a specialty foods consultation business. She is also the founder and an active member of a local activist group.
Can you share a favorite memory or moment with a customer or client that has stayed with you?
We have many recurring holiday orders, and one year we learned that a gentleman who always sent his wife flowers had passed away. We made an arrangement anyway and delivered it to her, knowing she would likely miss her annual bouquet. We felt heartbroken, and as florists we’ve experienced a lot of loss alongside our customers. We’ve given many hugs and wiped away many tears, and we never forget the moments where we make people feel seen.
How many people does your business employ?
5-7
How long have you been in business?
21 years with our current ownership!
For over 20 years, Glen Garden Gifts has been a beloved Yellow Springs floral shop known for its artistry, warmth, and deep community roots. Founded in the home of Esther Baldwin and now owned by Julie and Tony Quinones, the shop blends five generations of floral tradition with a strong commitment to serving the village.
Their mission is simple: create beautiful, high-quality floral designs while supporting local artists and being present for the community’s most meaningful moments. Glen Garden Gifts employs 5–7 people and continues to be a trusted, heartfelt part of downtown Yellow Springs.
Heart of the Business cover photo by Karl Yost Photography.
Heart of the Business is presented by the Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce, celebrating the vibrant stories and unique contributions of local member businesses throughout the village.
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A vibrant celebration of community, creativity, and connection is on full display as Yellow Springs takes center stage in a beautifully curated, limited-edition commemorative magazine release that captures the heart of the village from cover to cover.
