For more than a decade Erika Wood and her mother, Beverly Holleman, were the driving forces behind K LeShae’s Florist & Gift Boutique in Early. Wood’s mother passed away in December of 2022, but Wood is continuing the legacy the duo established within Brown County.
“My mom and I opened 11 years ago in 2012,” Wood, 36, said. “My mom and I decided to open our own business and start a floral and gift boutique. We’ve been working together and doing all this until she passed recently in December, and the store just had its 11th anniversary on June 15.”
Wood shared the origins of K LeShae’s.
“I love being able to help people and doing what I can to use my design skills to make people’s days better, or help them in a situation whether it’s good or bad,” she said. “Mom and I always wanted to spread God’s word and show our kindness to others in doing what we love.”
Wood graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in interior design.
“I started coordinating weddings and doing things like that,” she said. “God was leading my mom and I to open up our own business and do something with design. The floral part was interesting and exciting to me, so we decided we wanted to open our own florist.”
Regarding the goods and services K LeShae’s provides, Wood said, “We’re a full florist and do everything from everyday flowers to weddings and funerals. We do gift baskets, candy baskets, anything for any occasion. We also do everyday gifts whether its birthday, or boutique shopping for your home, and other everyday things.”
Wood admitted adjusting to life, and the business world, without her mother has been challenging, but K LeShae’s continues to thrive.
“I’m still trying to figure out life without my mom as a partner, but I’m happy with where we’re at and what we’re doing,” she said. “I have a great team that’s helping me, I love what we’re doing and we’re going to keep going. We always have a huge Christmas open house and we’re getting ready for football with homecoming mums and all that. We’re enjoying work, having fun, and meeting new people.”
Wood and her husband, Josh – who have three children together – also run Card My Yard.
“We put signs out in people’s yards for a birthday or any other occasion,” she said. “My cousin is one of the co-founders of it. I talked to him and he thought Brownwood would be a great place to have it because we didn’t have anything like that, so my husband and I decided to start that.”
Wood added that her family is also heavily involved with Early First Baptist Church.