RISON - This week marks five years since Malinda Berry opened her florist My Berry Patch in the Emerson House on Main Street in Rison - the oldest structure in town still standing, built in the 1890s.
To reflect on the past five years, as well as her childhood memories of Rison before moving to Arizona with her family at age 14, Berry joins the latest episode of the Free Range Conversations podcast.
After spending her life in Arizona and working in real estate, Berry said her family wanted a simpler and more affordable life, and that called her home to Rison, a very different Rison from the one she left.
“It was a little disturbing coming back to Rison,” she said. “To see how much Rison has changed and sadly deteriorated over those years.”
This realization, coupled with too much time on her hands, prompted her to get involved with community development efforts underway and even open her own business.
“Retirement was just not what it was cracked up to be,” she said with a laugh, “I guess I had to have something to do. And what a fun thing to work with flowers all day.”
Berry opened her business June 2, 2020 in the midst of the COVID pandemic, and has found success as the town’s florist and gift shop.
The business is not Berry’s first foray into the world of flowers. While in Arizona, during a slower period of real estate sales, she worked at a florist as an additional job and fell in love with the craft.
Berry filled the need of a florist in Rison, but also grew to fill another need - overnight lodging.
In 2024, she expanded the business with the opening of the Guesthouse at My Berry Patch in a tiny-house setting located behind her florist.
The site initially housed an over-the-garage apartment she planned to use for lodging, but the structure was beyond repair.
Berry said since adding the Guesthouse, she has seen a steady stream of guests needing a place to stay when in for funerals, events or work trips.
On the community development front, Berry is an active member of the Pioneer Village, Rison Shine and the overall umbrella organization Kickstart Cleveland County, something she previously served in the role of president.
During the podcast, the co-hosts recalled times when there were multiple grocery stores and restaurants along Main Street.
Though those times have changed, they each shared their visions for the future of Rison to bring in more businesses and opportunities for housing.
To make those changes happen, Berry pointed out the advantages retirees have with expendable incomes and time to devote to the community.
In addition, they discuss the things they think might attract more people to stay in, or move to Rison and Cleveland County as a whole - such as more attractions and amenities for younger families.
The full episode, featuring co-hosts Britt Talent, Douglas Boultinghouse and Roy Phillips is streaming now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and below: