Country Flowers & Gifts in Emory is one of the town's oldest retail businesses. Owner Karen Young said she will celebrate 40 years in business next month.
Young started working at 17, in 1978, at Sulphur Springs Floral, after a friend's mother told her about an opening. She later made and sold homecoming mums from her home. With her mother as a business partner, she opened Country Flowers & Gifts in the small shopping center in front of the Rose Community Center. The store opened on November 7, 1986.
Young said she chose the name because country decor was popular at the time and because C would come before G in the phone book. The story says her partnership with her mother did not last long.