By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Dr. Melanie Shores, the former president of the Alabaster Board of Education, enjoys one aspect of her business above all others.

“It just makes people smile to get flowers, and I really love that,” Shores said as she prepared for the ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony at her new business, Flowerz ‘N More, in Alabaster on July 17.

The business, which is at 76 Fulton Springs Road in the Scottsdale Plaza shopping center, has been open since February, but Shores said the store just recently got a chance to slow down and celebrate its grand opening.

“It has been going real well. The community has been great,” Shores said, noting Valentine’s Day, Easter, proms, graduations and Mother’s Day have kept the store busy for the past few months. “We have been so busy.”

Flowerz ‘N More offers flowers for every occasion from birthday parties to proms, and also offers a boutique shop featuring Auburn and Alabama football art, hand-painted items, candles and more.

Shores, who also has a full-time teaching job at UAB, said she has always been interested in arts and crafts, and decided to open the store to fill a need on the southern end of the city.

“The opportunity presented itself (to open this business), and you don’t know if you don’t try,” Shores said with a laugh. “My family and friends have supported me throughout the whole process.”

Flowerz ‘N More is in a small strip mall occupied entirely by women-owned businesses, which gives the business owners a built-in support network, Shores said.

“We all work together to support each other, and I think that will make us successful,” Shores said.

Shores’ son, Tucker, was eager to help his mother set up for the ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 17.

“I want to use this to help teach them values,” Shores said of her children. “You can do anything if you work hard enough at it.”