A Kansas girl clicks her heels, makes a wish, and suddenly finds herself exactly where she wants to be. Sound familiar?
Ark City’s own Paisley Howerton is living it. This summer, a whirlwind swept her into ownership of the Ark City Greenhouses building at 836 E. Kansas Ave.
By early next month, with plenty of hard work and the help of her handyman husband, Josh, plus a few others, she hopes to reopen what will once again be the city’s only locally owned, full-service flower shop. Same name, same building, same location it’s had since 1974.
“Our number one focus right now is the indoor space,” Howerton said by phone from the shop Wednesday night. “But there wasn’t a whole lot that needed to be done inside.”
Oh, and she’s learning the floral business as she goes. Her advantage? She’s long been an avid gardener, and through her side venture, Howerton Homestead, she’s grown and sold microgreens — always with an emphasis on natural, chemical-free growing.
“I’ve been very into plants and growing things for a long time,” Howerton said. “And I’m a creative person to my core. So, this kind of encapsulates everything I’ve ever wanted to do, all rolled into one.”
This chapter of her career began when Howerton — who served as Ark City’s Chamber of Commerce director for four years until 2022 — learned the building was headed to auction. Former owner Anita Sparlin was stepping away after a brutal June hailstorm shredded parts of the hoop-house greenhouses.
Howerton put out a call on social media for an angel investor to help her bid on the property. Someone answered — and the hustle began almost immediately.
She secured the building, but the equipment and furnishings were sold off separately. That meant scrambling to make a plan — and starting fresh with much less than she’d hoped to inherit.
“We didn’t get a lot, but what we got was pretty good,” she said. “In some ways it’s a win. I kinda get to start over with a lot of things. I can buy some new stuff.”
Her immediate plans include taking orders for floral deliveries — weddings, funerals, and special events — while also expanding into retail offerings. The timing feels right, Howerton noted, with floral delivery options dwindling in the area.
She’ll have help from Marlana Mills, who will assist with running the business and floral design as Operations & Floral Consultant.
As for the greenhouses themselves, restoring them will take longer. The main building’s metal roof is mostly sound, but two of the four greenhouse tunnels — the ones on the west side — suffered the worst hail damage and will require significant repair.
“I think it’s very save-able. We haven’t really seen anything thus far that just totally scared the crap out of us,” Howerton said.
She added that the support she’s received has been invaluable. Former owners Joelyn and Bob Squires have stopped by with advice, and Sparlin herself has been helpful too.
“I feel bad for her — she really loved this place,” Howerton said. “But I’m also super excited for the opportunity.”
