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The Opp Chamber of Commerce has announced that Young’s Florist will be recognized as its 2022 Business of the Year.

Young’s Florist has been in business in Opp for over 60 years. It was first opened by Sarah Smith Young on Stewart Avenue, and over the years her daughter, Rebecca Young Edgar, began operating the shop, where she added more services and merchandise as the shop expanded. Years later, around 1989, Rebecca moved Young’s to its current location on Covington Avenue. Virgil Sasser, Lori Sasser, Laura Hawthorne, and Shelia Dye purchased the business in November 2017 when Rebecca entered into retirement. The name of the business, Young’s Florist and Gifts, had become iconic over the years; hence, they elected to maintain the business name recognized by so many.

Just like Rebecca and her mother had done for decades, Virgil, Lori, Laura, and Sheila wanted to offer a local one-stop shop for customers looking to celebrate or decorate! Young’s carries a little bit of everything as customers can find an array of gifts, home decor, and floral arrangements for all occasions and decor styles. Young’s also offers decorating services with products for weddings, funerals, birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, new jobs, housewarmings, baby showers, or any occasion.

Young’s Florist and Gifts dedicates a nearly 8,000-square-foot showroom floor to Christmas decorations. The store’s Christmas Open House is generally held the last weekend in October to correspond with Opp Fest and continues through the first week of January. The showroom is filled with festively-decorated Christmas trees, thousands of ornaments, Christmas tables, and wall décor and is designed in such a fashion as to allow customers to comfortably shop for their favorite Christmas pieces.

Realizing upgrades to the building and storefront were needed, the owners have taken measures to implement these upgrades. Since 2017, LED lighting has been added throughout the store, the business’s signage has been improved, a new walkway and ramp have been constructed, and new delivery vans have been purchased.

Young’s Florist and Gifts was nominated by the Opp Chamber of Commerce for the 2021 Alabama Retailer of the Year, which also included a “Customer’s Choice” award.

“We are grateful to be an investor in the Opp and Covington County Area Chamber of Commerce and so thankful for all the chamber does to promote and advocate for us and so many other chamber investors. We are humbly honored to be selected as the 2022 Business of the Year.”

Young’s Florist will be presented the Business of the Year Award during the Opp Hall of Fame Banquet scheduled for Thursday, June 23, beginning at 6:30 p.m., at the First Baptist Church of Opp Fellowship Center. Tickets are $30 per ticket and may be purchased at the Opp Chamber of Commerce office located at 200 S. Main St.