What started out as an act of kindness has turned into an 86- year business. J. E. Chisholm opened Chisholm Floral, located at 620 E. Fifth Street, in 1936.
In 1954, Kip Cutshall was a senior at Littlefield High School. His father was a military recruiter who traveled a lot. Cutshall wanted to finish out high school in Littlefield, while his father moved on. J. E. Chisholm offered to take Cutshall in so he could finish his senior year.
Cutshall intended to go to Texas Tech University to study landscape architecture. J. E. Chisholm offered to put Cutshall through college and asked him if he would be interested in trying to work with flowers. Cutshall said yes and studied horticulture at TTU.
“I’ve been trying it for 65 years,” Cutshall said, with a bright smile.
Cutshall has worked for Chisholm Floral for 65 years and has owned and operated it since 1979, when he took it over for J. E. Chisholm.
Cutshall said he does not plan out his floral arrangements.
“You know it sounds strange, but I just take a bunch of flowers and arrange them,” he said, with a laugh. “I don’t really have anything in mind. Anything I put out, I want it to be like I’m sending it to my wife.”
Cutshall met his wife, Phyllis Clayton, in high school. Cutshall said when he transferred to Littlefield High School, one of his credits did not transfer and he had to retake the course his senior year. He was in class with Phyllis when he noticed her glasses.
“I think what attracted me most about her was her glasses,” he said, with a big smile. “I played football with her brother and I asked him one day, ‘is Phyllis going with anybody?’ and he said no. The next day in class, she walked in and I knew she had gotten the message. That Friday night, she walked me off the football field and that’s it.”
Cutshall married Phyllis Clayton in 1956 and they had three children, Debi, David and Sheri.
Cutshall said, currently, there is no one to take over the shop.
“We haven’t made that decision yet,” he said. “We’ve got somebody that is interested in the building, we’re working on that, and it’s awfully hard to get anybody to get into the flower business. I thought one day, the kids might take over, but they had other thoughts.”
Cutshall said the most memorable part of working at Chisholm Floral for the last 65 years, is the people.
“I think about how many customers have walked through the doors,” he said. “I think that’s what I’ll miss most, is the people. You hear it a lot, but it is true. That’s going to be the hardest part is giving it up.”
Cutshall said he was supposed to retire on Friday, July 1, but it will take some time to get the shop situated.
“There’s a whole lot more to it than turning a key, a whole lot more,” he said.
Cutshall said he is looking forward to doing home repairs and taking a vacation with his wife during his retirement.
“Of course, the home, we got a lot of repairs to do there,” he said. “Also, the building, we’d like to get it in better shape. Maybe take the wife on a vacation. You may not believe me, but since I’ve been here 65 years, we’ve had one vacation.”