About Floralore

I believe flowers can change the world!!!

In our society where it seems that businesses run the show it can be easy to feel like we don’t have a say in how things run as an individual. That is one of the driving forces behind Floralore. To be a louder voice for social justice and environmental concerns with words, actions and money.

My name is Lisa Wiencek, (she/her). I am Mohegan (a Native American Tribe from Connecticut) and Jewish and I live in Tinley Park with my husband, Tim and our adorable cats, Kiki, Kokoro and Tip.

I think if I hadn’t been a florist, I would have been a therapist. I found this calling a little later in life and find such purpose in being there for people through their triumphs and troubles. I would be honored to help you tell your story with flowers as you celebrate or mourn or simply move through your week.

I hit some really rough times a handful of years back and had to make a decision about what to do as my life transitioned away from academia. For me, flowers are a way of surviving in a really harsh world. If you think of a dandelion or other weeds, they manage to grow in some of the most inhospitable places. Think cracks between the concrete on a city street. Because flowers saved me, I want to use flowers to save the world.

I care deeply about families, children, the environment and social justice issues. That is why I donate at least 10% of my profits to local charities and mutual aid projects doing important work in our area.

My hope is that Floralore can be a supportive and empowering force in our corner of the world. The main beneficiaries of Floralore’s donations in 2020 were the Crisis Center for South Suburbia in Tinley Park and the Greater Chicago Food Depository. CCSS helps women and children when they need it the most. I am so glad we have shelters like these to be there for families that are struggling.

In April 2020, Floralore launched the Community Uplift Initiative to spread joy to folks around the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago who were struggling in some way in the early days of Covid. If you want to know more about this initiative, check out some of my blog posts.

On a national scale, I worry a lot about the way our country is treating refugees and immigrants as well as people of color, and so Floralore also supports a number of organizations that work to help children and families at the border as well as those that directly address racism in our country.

The last major thing I have been working to address has to do with global warming and environmental issues. Traditionally, floral design has not been particularly eco-friendly (think floral foam especially). I am working on becoming more and more eco-conscious and am doing what I can to reduce/eliminate my use of floral foam. I also very consciously choose to wrap my bouquets in craft paper and twine and repurpose used vases when I can rather than buying new.

On a personal level, I feel best when I am both creative and active. My husband and I love to walk, bike, kayak, juggle, bowl, play table tennis and dance together. Working with flowers allows me to foster my need for creativity while I do my best to intentionally build community.