Earl's Flowers and Gifts settles into new location, celebrates 50 years

A local flower shop with 50 years of business in Norman celebrated the milestone with a ribbon cutting at their new location Thursday.

Earl’s Flowers and Gifts’ history stretches back half a century, when now-owner Sherri Morren-Ormes’ father Earl Morren and late aunt Lucille Knapple started the shop. Eight years ago, Earl passed the business to Sherri, who has been keeping the business alive with Knapple’s grandson Jason and his wife Shannon at their new location at 3451 36th Ave. NW.

“They have helped me do everything here to get me where I am at, so it’s the Morrens and the Knapples once again starting it all over, and it has been wonderful,” Morren-Ormes said.

Morren-Ormes has been in the business since she was young, and she said the business has served multiple Sooner legends.

“We have done work for Sherri Coale and Steven Owens; all of those people are like family to us,” Morren-Ormes said.

Morren-Ormes said serving the Norman community has been fulfilling and she couldn’t imagine doing anything else because it’s all she knows.

“That’s what God gave me [the talent] to do — to work with flowers to make other people happy,” Morren-Ormes said.

During a year filled with job and support losses for many people, Morren-Ormes said she looks to help other people in need of assistance.

“A lot of people can’t afford things right now due to COVID-19, and I try to accommodate,” Morren-Ormes said.

After a stroke in Oct. 1997, Morren-Ormes said she feels fortunate to still be able to do what she loves.

“Thank God they took me to OU Medical and got rid of the blood clot,” Morren-Ormes said. “They didn’t think I would ever walk or talk again, but I am doing fine now.”

The move from the old location off of Porter Avenue to the new location on 36th Avenue took around three months, and now Morren-Ormes said she looks forward to continuing to serve Norman in the new storefront.

Scott Martin, president and CEO of the Norman Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber was excited to help celebrate the milestone with Earl’s Flowers and Gifts, calling the store a “Norman institution.”

“[They have] fifty years of serving our community, from birth to celebration of life, anniversaries, weddings and graduations,” Martin said before the ribbon cutting. “[Through] every significant milestone in your life, Earl’s has been with each of us along the way for 50 years. We’re excited to celebrate the first 50 but even more importantly the next 50 and onward.”