Person to Person: It’s all go at the minute but I wouldn’t have it any other way

Tell us about yourself:

Hi! My name is Louise Moran & I am the CEO & Founder of Flourish Emporium & The Imaginarium based in Midleton, Co. Cork.

Flourish Emporium is telling peoples stories and reigniting their memories through the power of scent using our candles, reed diffusers and room sprays. We launched in May 2021 and in November 2022 we opened our first brick and mortar store inside The Imaginarium which is the other side of what I do. An interiors and gifts store located on Main Street, Midleton.

Before this came to be though I worked within the wedding industry running my own bridal shop and wedding planning business, I also wrote an award winning wedding planning guide in 2020 “Unveiled”. It was this work that inspired the beginnings of Flourish Emporium. A wedding day is such a momentous occasion I would often say how I would love to bottle it up for my couples so they could relive over again. This sparked the idea of creating a wedding day fragrance that would remind the couple of their special day every time they smelled it. So that’s exactly what I did. Since then I have added four new scent stories to the collection and I am aiming to increase on that again this year.

Where were you born? 

I was born in Dublin.

Where do you live? 

In Midleton, Co. Cork.

Family? 

My two sons Calum 16 and Dylan 15 (teenage years are fun aren’t they?) and my husband Brian we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary October last.

Earliest childhood memory? 

Being in the garden with my grandad watching him plant flowers & growing tomatoes in the greenhouse.

Person you most admire? 

My mum.

Person who most irritates you? 

It depends on what day you’re asking me 

Where was your most memorable holiday?

Oh there’s so many to choose from, my top two would have to be Orlando for our honeymoon with the boys. I’m a Disney addict so it was amazing sharing that with them when they were little and I’m so excited as were heading back there later this year. In tied place would be Lake Como Italy, I loved everything about it and hope one day to be able to do a driving tour through Italy to discover it more.

Favourite TV programme? 

Gilmore Girls – an oldie but a goodie I rewatch it at least twice a year.

Favourite radio show?

Can it be station? If so, Red FM it’s the only one I listen to throughout the day.

Your signature dish if cooking? 

Cooking is definitely not my forte but the one dish I am known for making is Lasagne.

Favourite restaurant? 

For breakfast and lunch it has to be Pan here in Midleton. They do the best pancakes hands down and their lunch menu is so good. Try the pasta specials you will not be disappointed! Dinner has to be the Elm Tree in Glounthaune.

Last book you read? 

Is it awful to say that I am not a huge book reader. I’ll pick one up every now and then but totally forget about it and it could be months later when I pick it up again. I actually think the last book I read was my own wedding planning guide Unveiled I wrote in 2020 and that was only to proofread it.

Best book you read? 

The one book that has stuck with me most more so for the beautiful illustrations is The Boy, The Mole, The Fox & The Horse.

Last album/CD/download you bought? 

I think it was Adele’s album.

Favourite song? 

Oh, this is so hard I love so many different types of music but at the moment it’s Landslide - The Chicks version.

One person you would like to see in concert? 

It has to be Adele or Celine Dion.

Do you have a pet? 

I do. My gorgeous little Fozzy he’s a bichon frise and an absolute lunatic but we love him and Gigi our cat who I am convinced is actually human.

Morning person or night owl? 

It changes frequently depending on what I’m working on but at the moment it’s morning.

Your proudest moment?

Writing my wedding planning book and seeing it on the shelves for the first time.

Spendthrift or saver? 

Oh, spendthrift I was never very good at saving. Although I am getting better at it.

Name one thing you would improve in your area in which you live? 

Being a mum to teenagers I would love to see more for them to do within the area. Like a drop in/meet up place specifically for the older teens.

What makes you happy? 

Being with my family.

How would you like to be remembered? 

Oh gosh that’s a hard one. As someone who was kind, wasn’t afraid to take a chance, did what I could to help others if they needed it & who loved my family.

What else are you up to at the moment?

Currently I’m working on my new collections for Flourish Emporium that will be launching for our second birthday at the end of May. It will have eight new scent stories to help capture new memories. I am also in the process of developing a completely new line of products for Flourish which I’m hoping to have ready for early next year. In addition to that in The Imaginarium we are getting summer ready with our new lines of home furnishings and interiors so it’s all go at the minute but I wouldn’t have it any other way.