Savannah Gentry wanted to invest in Columbia Falls and her new store, Forage + Floral does just that.

Gentry converted the former Glacier Institute offices (and Whitefish Credit Union before that) into a gorgeous little store with a spacious yard for events.

The store’s own website sums up the feel of the place best.

“Forage + Floral is where modern floral design meets curated collections of dinnerware and tablescapes designed with Montana event hosting in mind. By combining quality décor, luxury florals, and beautiful tabletop pieces, our styling is wildly romantic, modern, and highly creative,” it says.

Forage+Floral is not a new venture, however. For years it was in the Scout and Gather site on Highway 40. Gentry started the business in 2020 and has another location in Kalispell just off Main Street.

Gentry grew up spending the summers of her youth at the family’s Spotted Bear Ranch and graduated from Flathead High School in 2015. She grew up riding and showing horses and was a Little Miss Rodeo in 2009.

She went on to study at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, California. She would go on to become a creative assistant for wedding expos, photo shoots, and fashion shows before making the jump to the event industry.

She went on to be a floral assistant in Austin, Texas for large events like Austin City Limits, SXSW and Rose Day.

But Montana has always been home and she said she sees Columbia Falls as becoming the new Whitefish.

Her business savvy started early in life. Her late mom Michelle owned a boutique in Kalispell and Gentry said she was a “walking advertisement” for the shop.

Forage + Floral started in 2020 and with the pandemic the floral business did well. She had just one employee back then, but things have blossomed over the years. Today she has 10 employees and last year they did 100 events in addition to retail sales.

Forage+Floral is the only brick and mortar floral shop in Columbia Falls. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed on Sundays.

The store itself is bright and inviting with a host of wares and cool gifts for the home in addition to the flowers (the bathroom alone is worth the visit).

Gentry’s mantra is a simple one.

“You never know the impact you’ll have on someone’s life just by caring,” she said.