KRISTINA MUHLBAUER LUPARDUS, MHS 2004

It’s a dream come true for floral designer Kristina (Muhlbauer) Lupardus. She is now the owner of Manning’s only flower shop.  Her purchase of Lori’s Flowers from Kelly Sybesma was effective Oct. 14.
Lupardus is among the many young Manning alumni who are returning to Manning to raise their families. Following her graduation in 2004, she attended DMACC Ankeny with non-specific plans for her future. She took a part-time job at Flowerama and quickly signed up to study horticulture.
“After I took the job at the flower shop, I knew that was what I wanted to do,” she said.
Four years later she graduated with a degree in horticulture and entrepreneurship.  She worked at Flowerama all through college, and after meeting her husband, Jeremy, moved to Norwalk for two years. During that time, she worked as a floral designer for HyVee Floral in West Des Moines.
The couple settled in Manning seven years ago and started their family consisting of four sons. Lupardus made the decision to remain home with her boys while they were young. She cared for her children, operated a home daycare and still found time to work with flowers. When the opportunity came along to purchase the flower shop, it was the opportunity she had hoped for.

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