Art, food and fashion

Creative entrepreneur and business owner Kelly Webb '23 opened The Modern Rose café in 2024, serving brunch classics, baked goods, specially crafted coffee and teas, and signature creations. Located in Delray Beach, Florida, the space perfectly reflects Webb's vibrant personality. She has expertly made Modern Rose feel like a cozy home, pairing fancy teapots positioned effortlessly in every nook with funky artwork placed seamlessly on the walls. 

Modern Rose's vintage charm is intentional, and you feel it the moment you walk through the door. Webb designed Modern Rose herself and repurposed much of its furniture to fit the cafés quirky vibe. For Webb, aesthetics is key. With a background in fashion and design, the restaurant industry wasn't necessarily a place she saw herself ending up, but now it's where she feels at home.

Webb's road to becoming a café owner was an exciting one, and she credits much of her business's success to the skills she learned at Lynn University. When you look back at Webb's academic journey, you'll find a passionate, curious, hardworking and dedicated student who fully immersed herself in the institution's environment—giving her the individualized experience she was looking for. 

Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, Webb immigrated with her family to South Florida for the weather, community and people. With her brother and sister in high school close to Boca Raton, Webb wanted to enroll in a university nearby. Lynn's location, international student base and fashion and retail management bachelor program were what drew Webb to the institution. When she toured the campus, she was matched with a fellow South African student, which made her feel even more at home. 

"Lynn was the perfect fit for me," said Webb. "There were so many students from different countries, and the fashion program is what drew me to Lynn."

By 2020, Webb was enrolled in the fashion and retail management program and thriving. As a student, she had made the dean's list and was becoming an integral part of the university. She became a writer for Her Campus, an online global media platform and community for women in college and served on the board of trustees for the Theta Phi Alpha sorority, earning herself a "Senior Service Award" in recognition of her outstanding leadership, character and service to the organization. Webb eventually became the president of the sorority and also became the marketing director of the fashion and retail association at Lynn. 

When asked what she felt about her Lynn experience, Webb said, "Overall, it was amazing. Everything was one-on-one, everything was custom and most importantly, I felt known by my professors and peers."

While a student, Webb earned multiple awards, including:

• Lynn Spirit Award: Given to an individual who displays pride, confidence, integrity, humility and maturity, modeling the characteristics of being a Fighting Knight.
• Organization of the Year Award: For her work on Her Campus 
• Medina McMenimen Bickel Fashion Award: Presented to the graduating senior who exhibits outstanding leadership and the potential for a successful career in fashion marketing. 
• President's Award: Recognizing a student for their extraordinary service and commitment to Lynn University. 

Through her extensive activities at Lynn, she learned teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving, and began working with the Career and Alumni Connections team to put her skills to use. As if she wasn't busy enough, Webb took on an internship as a book illustrator. This was the type of project she thought she would never take on; however, she thrived. 

"I spent a lot of time talking to my professors, and they knew I wanted a different experience at Lynn," said Webb. "I raised my hand for everything. Anytime a new project came up, I always said, 'I want to do it,' and I became close with the career team."

A feather in Webb's cap came in 2022 when she emceed the annual Lynn Fashion Showcase—an honor given to senior students enrolled in the fashion program. By 2023, Webb had graduated from Lynn and began working in the fashion industry. She became a creative director at Sara Mique, where she helped establish the brand's vision, and later became an assistant stylist at Neiman Marcus. 

The following year, everything changed. 

Webb made the transition from fashionista to barista in 2024. A shift not taken by most fashion professionals. But, when you ask Webb, 'Why a café?' she'll brilliantly answer, 'Why not?' and then astound you with how the art of making coffee is closely related to drawing or painting. 

"It sounds like a big shift from fashion, but it's an evolution. Food represents artwork, the menu, the furniture, it's all designed to make you feel something, just like a painting."

Webb also attributes her "evolution" to her background. Growing up, she remembers cooking with her family, coming around the table and feeling joyful together. The nostalgia of those family gatherings and making food from her childhood is what led Webb to create Modern Rose. 

That cozy, sentimental feeling she wants to evoke with food, she also wants customers to feel as they look at her whimsical décor. The furniture is thrifted and made new, the knick-knacks are from her family's home, and some of the teapots you see are donated by clients. 

"Each visit is meant to be a personal experience," said Webb. "From the teacups to the wallpaper, I want to bring joy to everyone we serve. And some of our clients give us their tea sets, which just adds to the charm."

As for the food, she put just as much care into the menu's globally inspired dishes as she did into the café's environment. Webb believes coffee is art and having brunch is a ritual. Her South African-inspired dish, the "Joburg Jam," features a sweet chili only found in her homeland. The thoughtfully crafted menu also features tea and coffee flights, egg sandwiches, vegan options and salads. The café was voted as the best breakfast, brunch and coffee spot by The Boca Raton Observer in 2025 and now has a second location in St. Augustine, Florida.

Today, the Modern Rose is thriving, and Webb is the successful entrepreneur she always knew she would be. Apart from the restaurant business, Webb expresses herself by continuing to paint, write and create. Inside the doorway of Modern Rose, you will find a line of hand-painted purses, which Webb designed herself. 

Of course, the café keeps her the busiest. In fact, Webb will most likely be the person you see first as you walk through the door, providing a personalized experience she loves—much like the one she received as a student at Lynn. 

"Everything that Lynn gave me led me to my career," said Webb. "Whether it was the first job or where I am now. And I still talk to my professors, who continue to give me advice. These are some of my most important connections."

Want to learn more about fashion at Lynn? See the fashion and retail management program.