Toula's Home Gift Garden

I have become a huge proponent of shopping local since opening Toula’s almost five years ago. My overarching idea of bringing  special gifts and treasures to our local market was extremely important to me. I knew people were driving to Atlanta or clicking online, searching for the types of items I wanted to carry in our store in Athens. For years I too personally practiced shooting down highway 316, heading to my favorite shops in Atlanta to buy the perfect gift for friends. I felt like if I went to the trouble to buy something outside of Athens, it made the gift more significant; I gave little thought to the time, gas, and mileage I was burning through in the process. So one of my main goals was to stop that caravan of commuter shoppers (including myself) when we opened Toula’s. Buying locally is smart and the right thing to do.

During this last holiday season many people told me that they were trying to buy local, and keeping it close to home. There certainly was a groundswell of enthusiasm for shopping local and really thinking about where and how money is spent over the last few months of 2008. I was so pleased to speak with our customers in the store about the importance of finding treasures inside the city limits for their loved ones, and not having to make the trek to the big city for unique presents. The local weekly Flagpole launched a very successful campaign(www.flagpole.com) to “shop your Ath off,” which contributed greatly to people’s awareness. The Athens Downtown Business Association (www.downtownathensga.com) (of which, by the way, I am a board member) has always been a strong advocate for shopping local, and coupled with other local efforts to keep revenue in the neighborhood, really empowered people this past holiday season to think twice before  leaving Athens to spend their money.

I love it when someone walks into Toula’s aiming to find the perfect gift for themselves or for someone they care for. We talk it over with the customer, and in no time we have satisfied all requirements and a gift (or gifts) has been selected, wrapped beautifully, and is all set for presentation. This makes shopping around the corner so easy, extremely rewarding, and a lot of fun. Supporting local businesses not only strenghtens those estabishments, it empowers the whole local community.

Eric