PROCTORVILLE — Ferrell Hesson is a retired teacher that never thought he’d be selling purses, wreaths and other gift items.

But, that’s exactly what the 66-year-old Greasy Ridge resident is doing and is becoming pretty successful at it.

Hesson and his wife, Nancy, are the owners of The Gift Shop along State Route 7 in Proctorville. They became licensed a little more than a month ago, but have been selling their wide variety of wares at flea markets for several years. Over the years, the couple said their business has grown by leaps and bounds, which is why they decided to find a permanent home.

“We wanted to find a place that was closer to home. So, we bought this house. We weren’t sure how it would go over,” Hesson said. “But, we have really been doing pretty good.”

The house has now been renovated, with every room filled with items ranging from Christmas trees and Americana items to grapevine wreaths and purses.

Their success has come in part, the Hessons said, because they offer gift items that are hard to find anywhere else, especially the plethora of purses that pack the small building.

Nancy, a retired florist, makes most of the floral arrangements is hoping to expand her selection at the gift shop in the upcoming months.

“We are hoping to get more silk arrangements and greenery, we really think that those are things that people will buy,” Hesson explained. “She (Nancy) make s a lot of the items already, but we just want to get more of a selection.”

He said he hopes to begin delivering flowers to local funeral homes in the upcoming months, after he recovers from open-heart surgery, which he had last month.

The Gift Shop is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.