Lifelong friends venture into flower shop business

Wanda Nichols Photo GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION -- It was a special day for lifelong friends Jim Moffeit (center) and Ben Bearden when they held a Grand Opening celebration last Friday and Saturday, to debut Chandler's newest addition to the business world, Forget-Me-Not Flowers & Gifts located at 202 Old Tyler Rd. The business partners hope to be an asset to the community offering up assistance for special events, banquets, weddings, decorating, fresh and silk arrangements, gifts, plants, and much more. Also pictured is Moffeit's wife Sharon who will also be lending a hand to the business.

If you haven't taken care of that special Valentine in your life yet, there is still time. And what better place to handle all your Valentine needs but the recently opened Forget-Me-Not Flowers & Gifts located at 202 Old Tyler Road, in Chandler.

Forget-Me-Not specializes in a variety of services including planning and decorating for special events such as weddings, parties, and banquets, holiday decorating, silk and fresh arrangements, candy, cookies, gift baskets, plants, home treatment spa products, and so much more. There is something for everyone, women as well as men.

Wanda Nichols Photo FUTURE FLOWER DESIGNER -- Forget Me Not Flowers & Gift co-owner Jim Moffeit shares a quiet moment with granddaughter Mallory Hope Moffeit, 5, in the store's flower design room during a Grand Opening Celebration held last Friday and Saturday.

Let Becky Reagan and Connie Bradley who have 25 years of combined experience in fresh and silk designing create that special arrangement for you, or consult with gift shop manager Debra Boyd for all your gift needs.

Lifelong friends Ben Bearden and Jim Moffeit, who have been business partners for years, took a leap of faith and opened up the shop when the building became vacant several months ago.

Bearden, who is retired from the oil industry said the flower shop business came about by accident.

"I think it started out as, `We've got to do something with this building,'" Bearden said. "It was a flower shop so we decided to do that. We're hoping to be successful at this. This is a new step for us."

Both Bearden and Moffeit are Brownsboro High School graduates and attended East Texas State University. As the years ensued they became business partners in rental homes, and other properties.

About three years ago, Moffeit bought the building that housed the former Kay Kay's Flowers and Gifts. Since then, another flower shop business, Sister's Gift Box, moved in for a time, while remodeling of the office side of the building was underway.

"When Sister's moved out we began thinking about remodeling the flower shop," Moffeit said.

Now with a much larger, newly remodeled facility, Bearden and Moffeit are ready to serve the community's needs.

Moffeit, who is the city administrator for the city of Chandler, said none of the owners of the business, including wives Sharon Moffeit and Glenda Bearden, will be working the business on a full time basis, but will be available when needed.

Bearden has been kept quite busy lately, however, making deliveries for the shop.

"It's actually been fun," Bearden said. "This way I get to meet people. It's actually been rewarding. It's been fun so far."

And when you're on the receiving end of a beautiful flower arrangement, plant or other gift, you're always glad to see Ben.

Bearden also mows lawns and other odd jobs which he says, "Keeps me out of trouble."

Moffeit's wife Sharon, has worked as a pharmacy tech- nician for Copeland's Chandler Drug for the past 35 years. After leaving her "day job" at 5pm she heads to the flower shop where she helps out anywhere she is needed from sweeping the floors to landscaping outdoors.

"Anybody who knows me knows how much I love flowers, " she said. "We're very hopeful that this is going to do well for us and the community. We feel like the shop has done a lot for the building. "

Valentine's Day is Wednesday, February 14. Let Forget- Me-Not Flowers and Gifts handle not only your Valentine's gift giving needs, but anniversaries, birthdays, Easter, and Mother's Day as well. These folks know their business.

"For Ben and I, we thought this was a good business decision, " Moffeit said. "Chandler needs a progressive flower shop."

Forget-Me-Not Flowers & Gifts are open Monday through Friday, 8am-6pm, and Saturday, 9am-2pm.

Call in your order at 903- 849-3001, or email chandlerflowers@earthlink.net.