Putting A Special Touch on flowers, gifts, and life
If you’re looking for laughter, tons of energy, and an interesting conversation or two, A Special Touch Flowers and Gifts is just the place for you.
While they specialize in providing customers the flowers and gifts that help the buyer share their sentiments with others, it is the atmosphere and service that is likely to keep people dropping by the DeKalb shop co-owned by Carol Ann Pittman and Joanie Hutcherson.
“I don’t want to work anywhere that’s not fun,” said Pittman, who first began working in the flower business in June of 2020, when she began to work for David Traywick at the business that was then named The Added Touch. “We love for people just to come by and visit and see what we have.”
Hutcherson joined the team two months later.
“David and his staff taught us lots about how to make floral arrangements,” Hutcherson said.
Carol Ann and Joanie had been friends since attending school together in the seventh grade. “It seems like we have always been friends,” Hutcherson said. “Later our children attended school together as well, so we were always seeing each other.”
While they were friends, they didn’t have any idea they would one day be in business together. “Absolutely not,” Hutcherson said. “I had no clue.”
But after the duo had been worthing for Traywick for a year in his DeKalb shop, he came to them and told then he wanted to turn the store over to them.
While “A Special Touch” takes care of traditional flower needs such as weddings, funerals, and holidays, the pair has turned the store into much more than that.
“We always wanted to sell gifts in the shop, so when we took it over that’s what we did,” Pittman said. “People are really surprised with what we have here when they come in”
“I really think everyone needs a little something sometimes to make them feel special,” Hutcherson said. “We have some unique things here that just make people feel better.”
Both Pittman and Hutcherson say they work good together and see eye-to-eye on most everything, but they rarely work side-by-side.
One of the partners works on Monday and Tuesday, and the other runs the shop on Wednesday through Friday. The next week, the days are swapped.
They said they do team up when there is a special holiday or there is a “Major Flower Holiday” such as Valentine’s or Mother’s Day.
Nancy Valles and Tara Cumberland help them in the shop as needed, while Jim Pittman makes deliveries.
“We both love people and trying to make pretty arrangements with flowers — whether silk or fresh,” Hutcherson said. “We hope that we can make DeKalb a brighter place and are being of service to the community.”
Pittman has experience working in the grocery and restaurant business, but flower arrangements was something new for her. Hutcherson said she has always “fooled with flowers,” and that her and a friend had done arrangements on the side for weddings for awhile.
As far as the shop name goes, they went the simple route, changing from The Added Touch to A Special Touch. However Traywick, the former owner, had a different idea for the name of the shop. “He said we would call it ‘Crazy Daisies’ or “Two Crazy Ladies’” Pittman said with a hearty laugh.
Whatever the name, the shop at 209 Hopper Avenue in DeKalb is certainly the perfect place to find flowers, gifts, and plenty of laughs.