ATHENS, Ohio – A local small business known for its custom floral arrangements and community-minded leadership is under new ownership — but its mission to serve Athens remains.
After 20 years at the helm of Hyacinth Bean Florist, founder Polly Creech is retiring.
The business at 504 W. Union St. in Athens will remain family-owned and -operated by Brett and Whitney Walls. The Independent spoke with Whitney Walls, who shared her excitement for the future of Hyacinth Bean.
Creech founded the business in 2006, and started talking with employees about selling it in October 2025.
She wanted her shop to continue under the care of a longtime worker, someone “who had shown a dedication to the standards and advancement of the business,” Walls told the Independent.
In three years as an employee at Hyacinth Bean, “I have worked in every position in this shop, from delivery driver to lead designer, and have been a manager for a year,” Walls said.
“[Whitney] knew everything there was to be known about running the shop,” Creech told the Independent. “I felt she was a good choice.”
Walls said she was drawn to buy the business because of its strong foundation in the community. She met “truly amazing people” as an employee — “talented coworkers and kind, generous customers who all help make Hyacinth Bean the Athens gem that it is,” she said.
Many locals have relied on the business for decades when seeking floral arrangements, bouquets, indoor plants, potting supplies, garden accessories, and more.
“A flower shop is involved in so many important moments — weddings, celebrations, business events, memorials, and even times of comfort — and I love contributing to something that brings beauty and connection to people’s lives,” Walls said.
Along with new owners, Hyacinth Bean has new hours and a refreshed layout. It will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 31, and the community is invited to attend.
“We’re also planning workshops where people can participate and learn fun new skills,” Walls said. A loyalty points program is in the works, too, “to reward and thank our regular supporters,” she said.
The shop’s new leaders are focused on building partnerships with other area businesses and giving back locally, like Creech did in her 20 years as owner. In March, the business will donate a portion of its profits to the Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program of Southeast Ohio, and Walls is already planning future connections.
Creech will remain a part-time floral designer for the foreseeable future, she said.
“I love making beautiful things. Staying on part-time gives me the opportunity to continue making beautiful things, but not be responsible for all the paperwork that is required of an owner,” Creech said.
Her creative practices include embroidery and sewing, and Creech hopes to see her work for sale at local businesses like White’s Mill. Retirement will allow her the free time to spend Saturdays not at “a wedding or memorial,” but at the Athens Farmers Market, where she plans to sell creations at its art market.
New owner Walls sees “so much potential” in what’s to come at Hyacinth Bean: “to continue growing, connecting with people, and finding new ways to share creativity and beauty through flowers while helping keep our community vibrant.”
As Creech passes the baton, she said she will keep the community connections she made close to heart.
“I will miss my customers that became so dear to me over those 20 years,” she said.
