SALYERSVILLE, KY – Salyersville has a new florist, thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and creative talents of a group of Eastern Kentucky’s own.
Owners Mason Manning and Justin Owens have partnered with friends and family to offer Magoffin County residents more design and floral options and customized services at their new business venture, Seasons Florist.
While Seasons Florist is new to downtown Salyersville, its name and reputation are familiar to the region.
The original Seasons Florist was established in nearby West Liberty and owned by store manager Michael Burling’s aunt. The shop was destroyed by the devastating 2012 tornado that hit the region. The store was never reopened.
That is, until now.
Burling grew up in the floral industry. He spent most of his holidays helping his family fulfill orders and learning to customize arrangements and designs to meet customers’ needs.
“Around 14, I started helping take orders and learning how to design arrangements,” Burling said. “That’s when I realized I loved working to create pieces that helped friends and neighbors celebrate or mourn and more.”
Now, 12 years after the storms wreaked havoc in the region and destroyed the shop, Burling, Manning and Owens are working to create their unique floral design brand and enjoying every moment as the new owners of the longtime business.
Their motto is simple: Flowers Y’all for any occasion.
In addition to fresh floral arrangements, the owners and Burling are marketing their style to the community and creating an atmosphere of excitement.
The store opened in early August 2024, but potential customers were on the doorstep two weeks prior, anxious to shop and learn more about the business. That customer-filled anticipation gave Burling and the owners even more confidence they were bringing a much-needed service to the region.
“We understand every customer that comes through our door is different,” he said. “We get to share the happy moments and laughter with them, and we share the sad moments and understand that having their floral arrangements match those moments is what sets us apart. We work to understand their individual needs and take pride in each design.”
Two months after opening, the partners are thrilled with the shop’s reception and love getting to serve new and old friends in the community.
However, none of the partners had experience building a business from the ground up. They needed a financial partner to give them the direction and confidence to bring their dream to life.
Another local florist had worked with regional nonprofit lender Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation (SKED) and encouraged the entrepreneurs to check out their services.
They called on SKED, and the rest is history.
The partners met with Small Business Training Director Amanda Kelly to discuss the business’ setup and plan. They needed someone to help them validate the need for a second florist in the small town and professional guidance to give them the confidence to make the financial investment.
“Amanda was our first point of contact at SKED,” Burling said. “She told us about SKED’s services and gave us feedback on the new business structure. She also gave us information on SKED’s business loans. Our communication with Amanda hasn’t stopped. She and all the SKED staff have been here for this entire venture.”
Days after meeting with Amanda, the partners met with SKED’s Director of Lending Bob Burgess. The technical assistance client turned into a loan client, as Seasons Florist’s owners applied for a business loan to open the shop with inventory and working capital.
Burling said buying an established business creates a lot of red tape, which makes some traditional lenders harder to work with. However, the time constraints were less of an issue because SKED’s mission is to help create jobs and help new and existing business owners develop.
“It’s hard to put a price on the value of SKED,” Burling said. “They made bringing a business back to life a reality. A significant amount of time and prayer was put into their venture to ensure we had all of our ducks in a row. We are grateful for what SKED has done to help us achieve it. We’ve made lifelong friends in this process and also learned a lot to help our business grow and succeed.”
Burgess says working with the partners at Seasons Florist has been inspiring.
“Seeing these partners work to bring this floral shop back to life in their own unique way has been inspiring,” he said. “They are truly excited to offer this new and innovative service to the community, and we are pleased to be able to help them do that.”
Learn more about Seasons Florist at www.seasonsflorist.com and follow the business on Facebook. Next time you’re in Salyersville, check them out at 723 Parkway Drive, Salyersville, KY 41465.
