Gail Morgan, owner of Morris-Cragar Flowers and Gifts sets out an autumn arrangement. The pumpkin container can be reused as a candy or cookie jar. Donna’s Flowers co-owner Danya Pigeon, left, gets help at the shop from her sister, Lila. Reputation and variety seem to be the traits that help make an award-winning flower shop.

Gail Morgan has owned Morris-Cragar Flowers and Gifts for 11 years, but the business has been around for almost 75 years.

“We stand behind our work,” she said. “We do have several people who say we’re the only place they go.”

Morgan said if a customer has an issue with an order, she is willing to correct the problem, either with a refund or a different arrangement or bouquet.

“Our motto is the customer is always right,” she said. “Most people are really happy when we bring them something.”

According to Morgan, some customers are surprised at how much an order costs. She said they don’t understand how much flowers or containers and decorations can run, as well as the pay for a floral designer.

Morgan’s granddaughter, Kallie Morgan, became a designer at Morris-Cragar right out of high school, soon after the shop changed hands.

“She comes from an artistic family,” said Morgan. “There’s a lot to making an arrangement. You have to have an eye for it.”

Morgan got into the flower business after her husband passed away 15 years ago. She had been in real estate for 20 years, but didn’t feel like staying in it.

“I started delivering for Cowboy Rose, and I liked the flower business when I worked there. Then I got a chance to buy this place. The lady was getting ready to retire,” said Morgan.

When the pandemic hit, Morgan said the shop was closed for six weeks, but they kept most of the live inventory.

“I don’t think we lost any plants or flowers. We put them in the cooler and kept them watered,” she said.

Since reopening, Morris-Cragar now closes at 3 p.m., but not much else has changed.“We’ve been doing pretty well,” said Morgan.Lately, people have been ordering custom door wreaths decorated with silk flowers and ribbons.“A gentleman comes once every six months, loaded down with grapevine wreaths. He has crosses and circular ones. One time, one was in the shape of an angel,” said Morgan.Donna’s Flowers is another familiar name in Tahlequah, and the new owners have had the complication of a pandemic to battle.“We purchased it in the lockdown,” said Tammy West, who owns it with her daughter, Danya Pigeon. “As soon as they let people come back into stores, we opened.”West thinks Donna’s has a good reputation because it has stayed locally owned for so long. They have kept busy lately with a lot of deliveries from call-in orders, and by attending fall craft fairs. She said they work at the fairs and people seem to be glad to be out and about.“This weekend will be our third one. We’ll be in Gore this weekend, and next weekend will be Greenleaf State Park,” […]