‘Find Flo’: Angie’s Creations helps lead scavenger hunt in Florence
Business Spotlight
Angela Olson of Angie’s Creations holds up the “Florence, Best Little Town in Wisconsin” shirt they created to promote the community scavenger hunt they are running. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)
From left, co-owner Angela Olson and employee Rachel Wicklund stand outside Angie’s Creations, 201 Florence Ave. in Florence, Wis. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)
A variety of custom printed items are for sale at Angie’s Creations in Florence, Wis. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)
Rachel Wicklund creates a mat in the basement of Angie’s Creations in Florence, Wis. They do custom printing on all types of items. She started working for at the business about two years ago. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)
Angela Olson of Angie’s Creations holds up the “Florence, Best Little Town in Wisconsin” shirt they created to promote the community scavenger hunt they are running. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)
From left, co-owner Angela Olson and employee Rachel Wicklund stand outside Angie’s Creations, 201 Florence Ave. in Florence, Wis. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)
A variety of custom printed items are for sale at Angie’s Creations in Florence, Wis. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)
Rachel Wicklund creates a mat in the basement of Angie’s Creations in Florence, Wis. They do custom printing on all types of items. She started working for at the business about two years ago. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)
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FLORENCE, Wis. -- Angie's Creations in Florence is promoting businesses and landmarks in the county through a new community scavenger hunt.
The hunt was developed by Angie's Creations owners Dan and Angela Olson. They started the business during COVID-19 in 2020, originally working out of their basement in Kingsford. They were invited to move to 201 Florence Ave. about three years ago by Rachel Egelseer, who also has antiques for sale in the shop.
"We started out making masks and face covers and then we started adding different things every so often," Angie Olson said. "We're constantly expanding our product line. We customize anything and everything in the shop can be customized."
The business offers "Northwoods apparel and goods," such as printed T-shirts and both crewneck and hooded sweatshirts tied to local landmarks, regional schools and sports or favorite area activities like snowmobiling or being part of the "Maple Syrup Mafia." Goods include wind spinners, drinking tumblers, even seasonal and holiday items such as a plush bunny that can be customized for baby's first Easter. More on the business can be found online at https://dwoprinting.com/.
The idea for the Florence-based scavenger hunt came about two years ago when an employee told them about a similar event in Houghton using the character from "Where's Waldo?" Not wanting to use something that was trademarked, they created their own design and Flo was born. Flo is described as a fictional, flannel-wearing Florence County guide. They also created other characters, such as Ren, a voice on the internet radio station WFLO who provides "Fishing reports, lake information, trails, hunting, weather, and useful Northwoods knowledge delivered with unnecessary administrative authority," according to the florencewi.com website, https://www.florencewi.com.
Instead of producing another ordinary business directory, the project has turned Florence County into an interactive experience, they said. For the contest, people visit different businesses and landmarks to "Find Flo." Each time they use the QR code at a location, it is logged into the contest. The code will take them to Florencewi.com, which explains more about the contest and has information about the businesses, promotions and WFLO Radio. Participants can also win prizes from some of the businesses; about 30 businesses and landmarks are taking part. Those in the contest can scan the codes once a day, with all scans tracked online.
They launched the hunt Memorial Day weekend. As an added incentive, they created a shirt that says "Florence, Best Little Town in Wisconsin" and features images representing some of the local businesses in the county.
The shirt proved to be so popular they had orders from people who weren't taking part in the scavenger hunt.
"I would say close to 100 orders over the internet for these shirts -- from as far away as Washington, Mississippi, Virginia, all over the country," Dan Olson said.
There is a kids contest as well and they will have a special event at the Florence County Fair from Aug. 28-30, with games and stories about pioneer families. They also will collect and share fair memories on WFLO Radio.
Angie's Creations is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. They can be reached at 906-200-0666 or www.dwoprinting.com.
Angie said they are happy with the shop's location, which "helps to bring a little something to Florence."
Marguerite Lanthier can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 85242, or mlanthier@ironmountaindailynews.com.