Hi, I’m Debbie King—and I’ve been surrounded by flowers for most of my life.
Back in 1980, my mom, Marlene Dickson, had a vision. She and her good friend Sue Hogue decided that Dickson Center needed something special: a full-service florist. On May 7th of that year, they opened the doors, offering fresh and silk floral arrangements to the people of Smyrna, Georgia. They weren’t just selling flowers—they were building something meaningful for the community. I can still hear the excitement in mom's voice when she talked about her first sale. It was a "One Rose Bud Vase," it meant everything to her, and believe it or not, we still carry it to this day, for pick up only. However, if you are interested in our rose bud vases, check out our Designer's Simply Rose Bud, it's a three bloom roses with filler and greenery, you can't go wrong with this classic.
Fast forward to 1993—Mom’s partnership ended, and she asked if I could help out at the shop. Just a few hours a day, she said. I came in from 9 to 2 to help at the front counter… and well, let’s just say it didn’t stay part-time for long!
The floral industry was changing rapidly. Online ordering through 1-800 numbers had started, big-box stores and franchises were popping up everywhere, and competition in Smyrna was fierce—we had 11 florists in town at the time! I knew if we wanted to stay relevant, we had to adapt. So we computerized the shop, expanded our delivery area, brought in fresh ideas, and tried new things.
Then in 2002, the third generation joined us—my daughter, Kristin King-Androvic. That was a game changer.
Kristin brought a whole new level of creativity and passion to the business. She’s not only incredibly talented but also forward-thinking. She started designing for events and weddings, entered floral design shows (and won!), and helped push us into a new era. Between Mom, me, and Kristin, we had ideas and styles that spoke to every generation of our customers.
There’s something special about working side by side with your family—especially when it's three strong women, each bringing something different to the table. We didn’t just run a florist—we grew a legacy.
And now, 45 years later, here we are. Still in Smyrna. Still family-owned. Still obsessed with bringing fresh, beautiful floral designs to our community.
If you’re in the area, stop by and say hi. We’d love to show you why, after all these years, we’re still blooming strong.
