How Angie Met Flo
*Flo sat down with Angie Olson, co-owner of Angie’s Creations, to talk about why she and Dan built florencewi.com, what Flo means to Florence, and why a small town needs a website with soul.*
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It started with Waldo. Not the book character, but a real-world scavenger hunt Houghton was running. Angie and Dan saw it working — saw how it got people exploring a small town — and thought, why not Florence?
But here’s where it got smarter than a straight copy.
“We were already seeing the small shops collaborate on Facebook,” Angie told me. “We figured we could pull this off if we added more than just the shops. If we brought in the bars, the restaurants, everyone.”
So they did. The Filling Station said yes. Merrill’s jumped in. Michaela May Bakery, Hugo’s, Cast Away Bait Shop — five businesses locked in, each one understanding the simple pitch: more foot traffic, more sales.
But somewhere in building it, something bigger happened. Angie and Dan wanted to create something that felt different from what already existed. That’s when Flo showed up.
She’s not a mascot. She’s not some polished tourism board creation. Angie and Dan drew her to look like someone you’d actually see walking down Central Ave — freckles and all, just an everyday person from here. The kind of person who knows the quiet lakes, the Friday fish fries, which bars make the best burgers.
“We needed a human aspect,” Angie said. “A soul.”
And it’s working. The community got it immediately. They see themselves in her.
When I asked what success looks like come Memorial Day, Angie didn’t hesitate: “More people walking through our storefront.”
But it’s bigger than that too. She and Dan aren’t trying to control how many partners join. “Whatever comes,” she said.
And when you factor in the seasonal tourism — the cabin owners, the fishermen, everyone heading up for the Northwoods — you realize a website actually does move the needle for a town this size.
What do they want a visitor to feel when they land on florencewi.com? Authentic. Connected. Like they’ve found something real.
*— Flo*