By Bill Oliver
Commerce, TX – In 1929, Cujoe and Kathleen Bickham set up their floral business at 2001 Live Oak, behind Memorial Stadium. On Friday, demoliton began on the first location of Bickham Floral, Commerce's second longest business under the same name.
Current owner Gladys Gray, who worked for Bickham's son Ben from 1972-1985, was sad to see the buildings go down but added "You have to go along with progress." Gray picked up a couple of bricks from the original structure to go with her collection of florist tools and other memorabilia used by the Bickham's. Gray purchased the business in 2004 and moved in January 2005 to the current location at 1510 Live Oak, five blocks east of the first location.
At one time the Bickham family not only operated a retail florist business but they also had a nursery, landscaping operation, and a wholesale greenhouse.