Iconic California Brand, French Florist, Celebrates Grand Opening of First Indiana Location

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 5, 2026 // PRNewswire // -- French Florist Indianapolis will celebrate the grand opening of its first Indiana location with a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting hosted by Indiana's 2026 Chamber of the Year, OneZone. The boutique, located at 1514 W. 86th Street in Indianapolis, is also the brand's first in the Midwest.

The Indianapolis location is locally owned and operated by Joe Viater, a lifelong Hoosier who grew up in Carmel, studied undergraduate business at Purdue University and now lives in Westfield. Viater built his career at Eli Lilly and Company, earned an MBA from Stanford, and went on to lead a private equity-backed software company for three years before seeking a more personal, community-oriented venture.

His appreciation for flowers started early. His stepfather kept more than 200 orchids on greenhouse-style shelves in the family's basement, rotating them through the house so they could be enjoyed in every room. Viater never imagined that would turn into owning a floral business, but those orchids left a lasting impression.

"I grew up surrounded by my stepfather's orchi...