Business woman opens flower shop

Nicole Emery must have a green thumb, because everything is coming up daisies.

Emery worked for several years as a licensed massage therapist and though she loved her work, it was time to do something different. Massage is hard on the body, especially when you are not the one on the table.

"Career wise," Emery said, "you just can't do it forever."

Flowers have been a lifelong interest and joy for Emery, who worked in the old florist shop in town, and spent her youth in the dirt, making daisy chains and fashioning little fairies out of rhododendron petals.

"I was in the woods a lot, Emery said. "I played in the ditch. I wasn't indoors playing Nintendo."

"She got that from her dad," said her mom, Pam Emery.

"I have a big passion for flowers," Emery said. "I love flowers. You should see me when I open the boxes. When I get the flowers It's like Christmas. I've always loved plants. I love to keep things positive and I think flowers are another form of healing."

"It makes people happy," she added, then laughed. "Unless you are allergic. But I've got plants for that too!"

The play in her youth turned to work at the florist shop that was located where Lower Columbia Realty is now. She worked with the owner, Mary Johnson, and learned the trade.

Emery considers Johnson, Patti Ohrberg and another friend who has passed on, Fay Sealund, as her mentors.

"Because of them I know what I know," she said. "I'm taking classes online to get my credentials from the Portland Flower Institute. That is almost done. It's been a wonderful journey. Everything that I've been through has led me up to now."

Her mentors taught her about basic flower design and price points. She learned how to order flowers, how to check for quality and how to prep the flowers so they would last.

Local artist Ruth Doumit will sell some of her work in the shop, and there are other consignment pieces. Emery plans to add wellness items and other things as she goes along.

"The shop is going to keep filling and filling," she said. "This is just the beginning."

Emery orders her flowers from the Washington Flower Service and the Portland Flower Market. A local woman is talking about growing her own and Emery hopes to work with her.

"I'm trying to keep it affordable and bring quality back," she said.

She plans to provide full service and delivery, but is still working out the details. The Grand Opening is scheduled for May 1.

"I'm happy," Emery said. "This was my dream."