ARPA-funded mural brightens North Monroe and spotlights longtime Spokane florist

Mayor Lisa Brown and Councilmember Kitty Klitzke visited Evergreen Florist in Spokane to highlight a new mural on a North Monroe storefront that owner Jo Branson said was paid for with an ARPA-funded city grant.

Branson, who identified herself as owner of Evergreen Florist, said the family flower shop has operated at its current location for roughly 20 years and in Spokane for about 35 years. "We applied thinking, oh, we probably won't get it, but we did," Branson said of the grant this spring that enabled the mural project.

"This mural is amazing," Mayor Brown said, adding that she nearly stopped in the street to take it in. Councilmember Kitty Klitzke said the council backed using the funds to support public art because "supporting the arts really adds vibrancy to the whole community" and because the mural continues work to revitalize North Monroe.

Branson said the shop worked with artist Miles Tollan, whom she described as originally from Santa Fe and who attended Cornish. Tollan, who Branson said moved to Spokane about a year ago, painted a previous mural at Koru Pharmacy and has received international invitations, Branson added. She said the artist gave a reduced rate and did part of the work in trade.

Branson framed the mural as beneficial to both the corridor and her business: "flowers make people happy, so that's what we're trying to do is just make smiles," she said. The transcript does not specify the grant amount or other funding details.

The segment concluded with the mayor and councilmember thanking Branson for sharing the shop and the mural project; there was no formal vote or ordinance discussed during the visit.