Parsons of Cumming Parsons remained on the square until 1982 when the store was destroyed by fire, shortly after being completely remodeled. It was reopened then in Tri-County Plaza, and was there until 1990, when it was relocated to Lakeland Plaza, the current location. It is still family owned and operated by the daughter and grandchildren of the original owners, Kate and Calvin Parsons. Kathryn Willis and her son and daughter-in-law, Gary and Cris Willis, and her daughter and son-in-law, Kay and Mike Montgomery, and son Tom, all work in the business. Parsons in Cumming is now the largest Gift & Collectible store in Georgia. The North Point Village store was opened in 2000, in Alpharetta. The merchandise has changed greatly through the years. However, the friendly, family atmosphere, hopefully, will never change.
Parsons roots go back to 1876 when Mrs. Parsons father, Alvin Alford, opened a country general store near Lawrenceville, Georgia. Through the years his nine children operated 12 Alford general stores in the area. In 1925 Kate Alford & her husband, Calvin, joined the family business with a store in Duluth. Later they opened five other Parsons stores in the area, including one in Cumming in 1946. The original store in Cumming was on the square, and was a general store with groceries, hardware, farming supplies, shoes, and dry goods.