WS Chronicle

By Busta Brown

“One day I was talking to my Pops and he asked me, if I could have anything in the world, what would you like to have? I said I wanted to move my mom out of the projects. He said, is that what you really want? I said yes. And two days later he bought mom a house.” 

Tarreyton Terry Carson truly loves his mother. At a very young age, he would sell newspapers for The Chronicle to have money during the summer to buy her summer dresses at a local clothing store. “I wanted my mom to look and feel beautiful, because she deserved it,” shared Tarreyton, with a smile that outshined my ring light. He’s very proud of his love for his mom. 

As a child he was always finding ways to make extra money so he could help his mom. “I’d shine shoes, sell papers for The Chronicle, or whatever I could find. My slogan was: I love money. I grew up in the Boston Project, so we had to get out and make our own money, because my parents always taught me to work hard. So, working hard became my passion. It’s what I wanted to do,” he shared. Carson said his mother has always been proud of his efforts as a child, so failure was never an option. 

It is because of Tarreyton’s love and respect for his mother, Deborah McCollum, that he’s always admired strong and wise women. That admiration prepared Terry on how to follow the lead of another woman that would play a major role in his journey to becoming an entrepreneur. “When I was much younger, my friend’s mother owned a florist and I always admired her hard work. So, I used to go to the florist to help during Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and any other time it was extremely busy. Another reason I worked there was to get my mom flowers for Valentine’s and Mother’s Day,” said Tarreyton. Owning his very own florist became his dream and in 2013, he opened the doors to Zael’s Florist. In no time, he became one of the top florists in the Triad. He’s been a staple in the community throughout his childhood and now as an adult. So, when he started his own business, the outpouring of love and support was immediate. 

The primary reason his business is very successful is his love for the elderly. “I love to see them smile when they come into my florist, and I love giving them a reason to keep that smile as I watch them out the door. Older women love flowers, so whenever I can, I love surprising them with something nice. One day I met this lady that is over 100 years old and I asked her to share how she lived so long, and she said, ‘no stress.’ The next day I sent her a beautiful arrangement of flowers because I really admired her wisdom, strength and ability to take great care of herself. 

“I remember another elderly lady who loved butterflies, so I added them to her arrangement and she still talks about how wonderful it was to this day. Working with the elderly is a magical experience and feeling. I love it!” 

The Winston-Salem-born entrepreneur also has a passion for the youth. Each year Zael’s Florist does Trunk or Treat for kids, and last year they served over 600 kids. The florist donates to different charities in the Winston-Salem community as well. 

“One of our favorites is the little league football. I love seeing the little guys having fun and staying physically active. It keeps them healthy, and little league sports also promotes teamwork and the importance of education. That’s extremely important to me,” said Tarreyton. 

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, so of course, Zael’s Florist will be extremely busy. And the staff at Zael’s are ready. “We make sure our flowers are always fresh and our store sanitized and safe for our customers. Mother’s Day is the largest day for florists. It’s far busier than Valentine’s Day, because most everyone has a mother, but not a girlfriend or wife. This is the week the phones are constantly ringing more than ever. The spirit of love is in the air this week, and that’s how we greet our customers, with love!” said Carson. 

He shared something that didn’t surprise me, yet is very interesting to know. “We have a lot of women come in and buy themselves flowers on Mother’s Day and even Valentine’s Day. And sometimes just because they want to feel special. But this week and every Mother’s Day, it’s 50/50 with men and women. I had to over-buy flowers this year due to COVID, because we wanted to make sure everyone gets exactly what they need.

“The biggest special that everyone is loving this year are the rainbow roses. Both men and women are buying them quickly, so if you want them as well, stop by soon. We put together arrangements that will make you say wow! Customer satisfaction is our number one priority at Zael’s Florist. 

“I have to give a big shout out to the City of Winston-Salem. They have really shown me a lot of love, Busta, and it doesn’t go unappreciated or unnoticed. I love my city!” said the father of four. 

Zael’s Florist is a combination of his daughters’ names, Zadia and Jael. He loves his queens and said he admires their mothers for the great job they’ve done raising them. 

Tarreyton is a great example of a man who’s not ashamed of his past. He’s gone through a lot and has gained much wisdom because of his trials and tribulations. Before we ended the interview, Tarreyton wanted to share some special words of love to his mother as well. “She is a wonderful, magnificent and beautiful mom. I thank God she’s still here with us. Still to this day, I try my best to be a good man for my mom. It’s because of her, I’ve always been motivated to make sure we always have what we needed.” 

My phenomenal Person of the Week is Tarreyton Terry Carson. Zael’s Florist is located at 4500 Indiana Ave. in Winston-Salem. Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Saturdays 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Call 336=744-8003 or visit zaelsflorist.com and on social media @Zael’s Florist.