The Ivy Place has a new owner, but not a new face to the business.

Since she was a young girl, Emily Muirhead remembers helping at the florist and gift shop, which was previously owned by her aunt, Geni Fulcher. Now the business is hers.

“I pretty much worked here my whole life,” Muirhead said of The Ivy Place. “My sisters and I would get in the bathtub and fill up water picks (that would be used) for Valentine’s Day.”

Muirhead said as she got older, her job at the shop included making deliveries and designing floral arrangements.

“I started delivering when I was in high school, and Geni also started teaching me the ropes of design,” she said.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in adult education in college, Muirhead returned home and began doing marketing for The Ivy Place. She said she stayed in this role for about five years and then took a break to start her family.

Currently, Muirhead is working toward a degree in floral design, knowing, she said, that it will enhance the skills she has already learned from Fulcher.

Knowing that there are holidays — Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, specifically — that can get a little chaotic, Muirhead said she is not afraid of the challenge.

“I love the craziness of the holidays. I think it’s fun,” she said.

When asked why she wanted to buy the flower shop Fulcher started 40 years ago this October, Muirhead said it was all because of family.

“I just feel like the shop is part of my family since I’ve grown up with it. My grandparents have even worked here,” Muirhead said. “It’s just a labor of love for our family and I just felt like it was the right step to take.”

Although Muirhead is now the owner of The Ivy Place, she made it clear Fulcher would still be involved in the business part-time.

“I am very fortunate that I will get to keep her on board,” Muirhead said.

Fulcher plans to work several days a week assisting with floral designs and helping with management. And she will also be involved with weddings and special events.

Since becoming the new owner, Muirhead said she is excited to kick off some changes she is bringing to the business.

“We have expanded our gift line a little bit,” she said. “We are carrying more items geared towards kids and we have a new bath line and fragrance line,” as well as a new logo and new packaging.

The Ivy Place is located at 2451 North Frontage Road.