The new owners of the West Union Flower Shop, Brent and Mary Harper, are busy preparing for their Grand Opening on the 4th, 5th, and 6th of December.
“It’s been my life-long dream to own a business like this,” Mary Harper told the Defender. Harper and her husband Brent, who teaches wood-working at the local vocational school, have spent several years creating and selling primitive crafts and custom-made furniture at various festival venues. Their new shop is located at 203 West Main Street in West Union in the beautiful red brick building beside the Ole Wayside Inn.
“This building was the home of Sarah Boyle, and it’s the second oldest building in town,” Harper remarked of the 19th century colonial style home that houses her business.
Harper’s primitive creations seem at home in the remarkably well-preserved building. Her works are reminiscent of country life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in America, when necessity was often the mother of invention and creative endeavors.
Harper has very definite ideas about the type of business she wants to run. “We specialize in Christmas arrangements, handmade items, primitives, custom made furniture, fruit baskets supporting local FFA chapters, fresh cut flowers, dried arrangements, wreaths, antiques, balloon stuffed gifts, quilts, and throws, but I am also interested in creating a place where the work of local artists and crafters can be shown and promoted.”
The business is currently on the first floor of the building, however, Harper hopes to expand to the second floor. “My husband and his father make custom furniture, both primitive and traditional styles, eventually, we’ll have the space to display their work in the shop,”
True to her dream, Harper has stocked the shop to the rafters, “We’ll have the things every flower shop has, and more,” she promises, and invites everyone to “come see what’s new at Adams County’s oldest flower shop.”
The Grand Opening begins Friday, Dec. 4 at 9 a.m. Santa will be visiting the shop that evening from 5-8 p.m.
On Saturday, Dec. 5 from 9a.m. – 6 p.m., customers are invited to bring the kids to make a free gift for a loved one.
Sunday, Dec. 6, the shop will open at 2 p.m., but not for regular business Harper explains.
“We’re asking others to join us for a special prayer service with our family, friends, and community to ask God’s blessing upon this new venture in our lives.”
Refreshments will be served daily.
