MARKING A MILESTONE – Susan Freshour, owner of Wilkin Flowers & Gifts, celebrated the company’s 70th anniversary in Wellsburg on September 29 with an after-hours business hosted by the Wellsburg Chamber of Commerce and organized by Freshour and Puskarich Accounting. At the center of Freshour, who has been with the company since 1979, are employees Marilyn Taylor (left) and Brenda Taylor. She is also assisted in the store by Erin Lizon. – Warren Scott
WELLSBURG – With the help of a longtime friend and many others, Susan Freshour celebrated the 70th anniversary of the flower shop where she has worked for 43 years.
She and her staff at Wilkin Flowers and Gifts teamed up with Debbie Puskarich of Puskarich Accounting and the Wellsburg Chamber of Commerce for an after hours deal on September 29 to mark the milestone.
Freshour said she was pleased to see business owners, community leaders and residents from Wellsburg, Follansbee and elsewhere turned out for the special occasion.
She has owned the company since 1996, having started there in 1979 as a part-time employee under the late former owner Elmer Vincent.
Vincent also started out as a part-time employee in the flower shop that opened in 1952.
In 2015, Freshour relocated from Wellsburg Town Square to its current location just down the street at 724 Charles St.
She said the new location has been a great blessing as it provides much-needed space for the store’s wide range of live and silk flower arrangements for many occasions from weddings to funerals, as well as a variety of unique gift items.
The latter includes decorative throws, ceramic angels and other figurines, plaques with inspirational messages, and vases with sports and other themes.
Freshour noted that those looking to beautify their garden will also find garden lanterns, garden statues, and other decorative pieces.
Freshour said that being able to exercise her creative skills is one of the reasons she has enjoyed working in the business for many years.
Before joining Wilkin, she designed windows and advertisements for the former Department Store of Denmark in Steubenville and Joseph Horne in Pittsburgh; and the Beaver Valley Mall.
Freshour, who has lived in Wellsburg since 1999, said she’s also enjoyed living in the city, including being able to fish along the Ohio River. It’s something she doesn’t do often, but when she does it’s very relaxing, she said.
She has had many helpings in the shop over the years, but her current right hands are Marilyn Taylor and Brenda Taylor.
A cat named Annie offers the three some company at the store after being taken in by Freshour, an animal lover who also has a dog and cat at home.
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