ZEELAND — A local flower shop, celebrating an expansion closer to the lakeshore, held its grand opening event in Zeeland last week.

Stems Market — which opened 12 years ago in Grandville — opened its second location at 26 N. State St. in February. During its recent grand opening celebration, the shop delivered 100 vase and flower orders to the Zeeland community.

More: Grandville's Stems Market opens flower shop in Zeeland

“It's really been fantastic,” said Jeff Drake, who owns the store with his wife, Michelle. “Zeeland has been super welcoming, the customers who've been in have been super welcoming. Rather than feel like an outsider to the Zeeland area, they're making us feel like we're part of the family.”

In addition to delivering vases, the shop handed out tulips to the first 50 people through the door. The next day, they did a $5 special on tulip bunches to the first 100 people through the door. The tulips were so popular they sold out in the first hour — the shop had to grab 100 more from Grandville.

“It really felt like a major holiday in the store,” Drake said. “It went fabulous.”

The store carries tea and coffee, and will sell cupcakes Thursdays and Fridays.

“Our goal is to offer the product the way the customer wants it,” Drake said. “We listen to the customer."

While the store doesn't deliver all the way to the lakeshore just yet, Drake said the expansion is coming.

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“I don’t know what that date is, but as we get Zeeland under our belt and get a regular system and customer base in place there, we'll look toward that," he said.

Those looking for Stems flowers will also find mini-markets at Flowerland stores in Kentwood, Wyoming and Comstock Park. Learn more at stemsmarket.com.

— Contact freelancer Austin Metz at ametz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Stems Market grand opening in Zeeland exceeds expectations