After more than 30 years in the business, the time has come for Kaye Vincent to step away from Junee's Country Meadows.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"I probably didn't think I'd be here this long when I started, but it's something I enjoyed so I kept going," Ms Vincent said.
Over the years, her Humphry Street shopfront window displays have become the stuff of local legend.
Related:
Each year she's entered, Ms Vincent has placed in the annual Junee Show shopfront window competition.
In 2019, she took the top gong for her display.
"I spend three months planning and gathering the bits and pieces for the window designs," Ms Vincent said.
"It's what I dream of at night, I think about that window until I drift off to sleep."
Originally, the business was a joint-venture with a friend, but since her business partner moved away to Canberra 20 years ago, Ms Vincent has been running it on her own.
In those years, she has seen many faces come through her doors and has been involved in some of the town's biggest celebrations, and most touching tributes.
"The sad part of my work is that I do a lot of funerals, these are people who I've known for 30 years in some cases," Ms Vincent said.
Last year, she lost her own father at the age of 102 and put together a fitting tribute for him as well.
"We had the funeral at home in my garden, I did the flowers. It was pretty special to do that," she said.
"I'm always quite proud of the work that leaves this shop. The funeral wreaths, the wedding flowers, it's a big achievement to get those done. Some nights, we've been here until midnight to get it all done."
Although COVID-19 thwarted her plans to retire last year, the plan is now to sell the business by the end of the financial year.
"[Last year] it wasn't a good time to retire and we did have a good year last year. People couldn't visit each other so they were sending a lot of flowers," Ms Vincent said.
"I wouldn't like to close the shop. I just think every town needs a florist, there are occasions every singled day that people celebrate with flowers. I wouldn't want to leave Junee without a florist.
"[Flowers] give an opportunity to express how you feel, and fresh is always best."