After nearly 15 years serving Lafayette, Root Floral Design is preparing to move into a recently purchased building. Co-owners Mia and Robert Sandberg have purchased a 4,364-square-foot building at 1306 Jefferson Street in Downtown Lafayette, where the florist plans to occupy a 2,600-square-foot space when it opens in early 2027.
The building sold in June 2026 for $255,000, or $58.43 per square foot, to August A Properties LLC, according to Elifin Realty. Mia Sandberg told WhatNow that the store is moving from its current Jefferson Street location in Downtown Lafayette. The building, originally constructed in the 1950s, is divided into two tenant spaces, with an unleased 1,700-square-foot bay sitting alongside the space Root Floral Design will occupy.
From a Shed in Breaux Bridge to a Downtown Storefront
Mia Sandberg launched Root Floral Design in 2012 out of a 245-square-foot shed on her parents' rural property in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, after leaving a career in interior design, according to Developing Lafayette. For nearly a decade, the business operated exclusively as an event and wedding floral studio before expanding into walk-in retail sales, house plants, and everyday arrangements in 2021, the outlet reports.
That shift required more street-level storefront space. Root Floral Design operates from a storefront at 810 Jefferson Street, per the same account. Root Floral Design remains known for specializing in weddings and other events, according to The Knot.
A Firewall, a Renovation, and a Family of Businesses
The building at 1306 Jefferson St is undergoing renovations, and the initial construction phase focuses on the exterior and Root's operating space, the report notes. Because the brick structure needs a new interior firewall to separate Root's 2,600-square-foot layout from the unleased 1,700-square-foot tenant bay, full occupancy of the building depends on securing a tenant for that remaining adjacent space, per the same account.
Robert Sandberg, Mia's co-owner at Root Floral Design, is also the founder and baker behind Lucía Bakehouse, a Viennese-style boutique bakery in Lafayette that began as a downtown pop-up in late 2020, according to Discover Lafayette. He opened the bakery, which specializes in brioche-stuffed bomboloni and laminated pastries, using personal savings and a $35,000 loan from Home Bank after gaining culinary experience at local eateries such as Pop's Po'boys and assisting at Root Floral Design, the podcast reports.
Part of a Bigger Downtown Push
The Jefferson Street purchase lands amid a broader wave of investment in the corridor. In June 2026, the Lafayette Consolidated Government completed its Downtown Sidewalk Improvements Project, upgrading ADA accessibility, drainage, and pedestrian connectivity across six downtown intersections, aiming to support foot traffic through the area.
Elifin Realty has reported commercial real estate transactions across Lafayette Parish. For Mia and Robert Sandberg, who now operate two distinct local retail brands in Root Floral Design and Lucía Bakehouse, the adjacent 1,700-square-foot tenant space at their new building offers future revenue potential through commercial leasing, once a tenant is found.
