Sounding more like an event than a shop, A Date with Iris manages to be a bit of both. At least, a journey into the whimsy and artistry of owner Kris Balaban and her partners Stephanie Humes and Amy Downes feels a bit like an event. Each of these powerhouse personalities make this place tick. With something to gaze at in every nook, it’s something of a feat that you don’t get lost. Located at 4201 N Western in Oklahoma City, A Date with Iris is a small shop with a large selection, and it’s in the perfect place. “Consistent neighborhood traffic, along with a sweet community feeling in a historic locale,” are elements Balaban appreciates about their 15-year presence.
Saying it’s “not just a flower shop” is an understatement. With gift and merchandise selections that are hard to beat, you can find that perfect unusual gift here. Their commitment to finding merchandise with that unusual element that appeals to them personally – meaning it’s more than merely a business to these ladies – is part of what makes this place so special. “The most important thing to us in doing business is having clients that we have relationships with,” says Balaban. “From courtship bouquets to weddings, new babies that grow up to need prom corsages and, yes, even memorials to their parents.”
Didi the shop cat merits a visit, too – she may be hiding in the flower fridge or trying to escape out the front door, so keep your eyes open for her, as well as all of the beautiful things that make A Date with Iris.
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National Park puzzle (others as well), $20 “Family, friends and date night in can all enjoy, plus, we do a puzzle exchange here at the store.”
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Maileg Tooth Fairy mouse, $40, and tooth box, $5 “Who doesn’t love stash boxes and little boxed mice, eh? We’ve been carrying a small collection of the Danish-designed mice for years, and it never fails to always be entertaining.”
Hand-painted enamel cup, $13.50, with fresh Shimmer roses “Hand-painted, colorful, shiny, so why not fill ’er up with blossoms? It’s a beautiful hostess gift.”
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Succulent arrangement, $60 “Amy makes those up with her little green fingers. A different twist on a delivered arrangement.”
Post Studio serving tray, handmade in California, $60 “It reminds me of 1980s Los Angeles – shiny and cool.”
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Nathalie Lete’s In the Garden of My Dreams, $35 “Love her as an artist, I follow her on Instagram. We have sold her music boxes, spinning tops and tea sets, and flipped when we saw that book. Had to have! Our 2018 Christmas will be all hers.”
Cavallini paper, $5, rocks, $2-$35 “The paper is because I’m a paper person, and if you are a paper person, you know why you must have more paper. And the pretty rocks on top go back to colorful, shiny objects – I must be a magpie.”
