In high school, Megan Cooley went on a mission trip to Romania. When the bus stopped for gas, nearly everybody ran into the gas station’s bathroom to brush their teeth after their long flight. Cooley, however, ran into the adjacent field of sunflowers.
On Jan. 25, the now-29-year-old will open Meg’s Flower Market on Nashville Street in downtown Ringgold.
Before taking up floristry full time, Cooley was an elementary school teacher, but her husband’s job kept the couple moving. When they found themselves in Ringgold in 2017, Cooley discovered the perfect place to put down roots.
“I’ve never really lived in a small town being from St. Louis,” she said. “I saw this community, how they do events and bring people together, and thought this was such a great community. It made me feel like I want to invest in the community that I’m actually living in.”
Through word-of-mouth and social media, Cooley has grown her business from her garage, fulfilling orders for weddings and baby showers alike.