October is breast cancer awareness month. I wanted to let you know that in conjunction with BreastFest here in Athens we at Toula’s are donating 15% of our total sales on Wed, October 14th. So please stop in and feel good about shopping local and helping a great cause. All proceeds go to St. Mary’s Woman’s Diagnostics Center here in Athens. Let us shop for a cure!
Eric
I don’t think our customers have been jazzed about anything like they are regarding our Marie Chavez jewelry sale on October 20th (that is a Tuesday) from 5 pm until 8:30 pm. If you haven’t heard about this event you MUST come. I found Julie Marie Chavez in Los Angeles and I have been obsessed with her beautiful, easy style ever since. Her jewelry is delicate and simple (www.mariechavez.com). Everyone tells me her creations are so easy to wear, and even easier to pair with other pieces of jewelry one might already have in their collection. We have built a great fan base here at the store. I am excited about this party fast approaching. On a side note, we will be giving away one of Julie’s necklaces to a lucky customer the night of the party!
This will be a perfect time to start Christmas shopping for those loved ones that have an affinity for stylish jewelry. Of course, we will also be serving champagne and our famous Toula’s petits fours. We will be offering well over two-hundred pieces of jewelry at discounted prices. If you’re in Athens you have got to stop in for the party! We look forward to seeing you at Toula’s.
Eric
September has quickly come and gone, but I cannot let it pass without remarking on a significant milestone for Toula’s. On September 23rd, 2009 we celebrated five years of business. The day came with little fanfare or hoopla. This year has been by far the most challenging to date, so I didn’t want us to get ahead of ourselves, but I did spend the day reflecting on the wonderful journey that brought us here. I take great pride in the fact that Toula’s has gotten her sea legs, and it looks like we are here to stay. I know our loyal customers are happy about that. It is because of their support and enthusiasm that we have made it to year five! I sincerely thank everyone who has helped us along the way, and look forward to the next five years here at Toula’s. It is going to be another excellent adventure!
Eric
Do you remember making papier mache objects when you were a kid? I was never a messy child, but I enjoyed getting all sloppy in school as our teachers tried to show us the art of papier mache. I don’t think I ever really got it, but I certainly tried my best. I vividly remember the feel of the wet newspaper we used, and the smell of the glue concoction that would bind the whole project together.
Well, today I must report that papier mache has risen to a whole new level of art. A very creative friend, who owns Stray Dog Designs, decided to work her artistic magic in papier mache recently. She has come up with some amazing designs (including birds). I bought a collection for the store, and was amazed at the customer reception they received. We quickly sold out of these simple white objects of art. The next generation were more colorful ( colors like pumpkin and fir). We have two proud papier mache peacocks standing watch in our store windows right now! I think these accessories are so simple yet unique. I love hearing how folks plan on displaying them in their homes, or who will be receiving them as a thoughtful gift. We recently purchased a set of poppies in hot pink and baby blue. These are definitely unique items that add character and a punch of color to any room.
Next time you’re in Toula’s ask about our papier mache. It is something fun and creative to add to your home or as a great gift for a special friend. I have ordered some fun new shapes for the fall, so keep your eyes out for more unusual animals camping out here at Toula’s!
Eric
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
A few years back, the December before I opened Toula’s, I was home in bed with the flu, surrounded by balled-up tissues and half-watching TV through a feverish haze. The Ellen DeGeneres show went to a commercial break, and an announcer said: “This segment of the Ellen Show is brought to you by Bluewick Candle Company.” My ears pricked up—I knew I needed a great candle line for the store. I did some quick research online and found Bluewick.
Fast-forward a few years: Toula’s is now one of Bluewick’s best customers in the south. There are several collections from which to chose, each offering amazing scents such as grapefruit current and tangerine vanilla. (My sister finds it interesting that when you burn a variety of Bluewick candles in a room over time, the combined effect is pleasing.) Bluewick also prides itself on using the highest-quality domestic soy, organic cotton wicks, and eco-friendly recycled paperboard printed with soy inks, so not only are you buying a great candle, you are helping support a great company. I discovered that soy wax is a wonderful vehicle for fragrance and doesn’t burn as hot as traditional wax, which allows the scent to persist and provides a longer burn time; Bluewick’s glass tumbler candle will actually burn for 85 hours!
Bluewick has recently branched out into the diffuser product line as well, and I am a true believer in these items too. The long, sculptural sticks imbued with liquid fragrance will often last up to six months and are a great alternative to burning a candle. They give off a consistent but not overly assertive scent that is trouble free.
Please drop by the store if you aren’t familiar with these terrific scented candles and diffusers. They make thoughtful gifts for housewarmings (diffusers), hostesses (large candles), or friends on the go (small travel tin candles). As the days get shorter, everyone appreciates a little boost of light and scent!
Eric
Do you own anything that just makes you happy when you look at it? There are a few things in life that simply make me happy just as they are, and one of them is my handmade R. Wood latte mug. This particular mug is a deep green-blue on the outside and a nice orange on the inside (for those of you who know R. Wood’s color lingo, these colors are “ocean” and “sunset”).
I discovered R. Wood in a gift store in Athens many years ago. There was a table setting of her pottery, and I was taken by the rich glazes and whimsical shapes. Every piece was clearly handmade, down to the finger imprints on the latte mugs. I subsequently learned that Rebecca Wood was a local potter who had met with national recognition. Her pottery is made of deep red Georgia clay, and instead of being thrown on a traditional potter’s wheel, this pottery is pressed into molds and then meticulously worked by hand into a variety of useful shapes.
I don’t typically buy locally for Toula’s, but over the years I have become friends with Rebecca Wood and her gifted crew, and just love the pottery they produce in their colorful Athens studio. More important, our customers are crazy for R. Wood’s boldly colored platters, bowls, and other serving pieces. We have incorporated many of her designs throughout Toula’s, giving customers ideas about how to use traditional pieces in other ways (like popping a nice “surf”-colored latte saucer under a bar of Mistral soap in a guest bathroom).
I like to think that one reason for R. Wood’s success at Toula’s is the fact that we are passionate about the product. All of us at the store use Rebecca’s pieces at home, so we know they “work” as mood-enhancing mugs or cereal bowls, or special pops of color in a room when set out to hold candles or fruit. There are at least nineteen great colors to chose from, and somehow all combinations look good together. These unique pieces make great wedding, housewarming, or hostess gifts. We welcome special orders and would love to make suggestions; as we get closer to the holidays the studio gets extremely busy, so we encourage customers to get their requests in early. Please stop by Toula’s and let us introduce you to one of our simple passions that is produced right here in Athens.
Eric
I am headed to New York City this week, on a buying trip for Toula’s. I will be scouring the market for unique items that work well together and serve as thoughtful gifts. This time of the year I usually fly to California for buying, but I decided it was time to mix it up.
New York is always inspiring—the cool shops, the outrageous store windows, the street fashion. I love ducking into favorite department stores such as Barney’s, Muji, and Takashimaya, and catching a Broadway show. But the best thing is just walking around the city and soaking up the energy of Manhattan.
I will spend the most time at an enormous gift show at the Jacob Javits Center. The New York gift show is one of the best I have found. Thousands of vendors come from all over the world to display their products. For those of you who have experienced a gift show know, the whole thing can be overwhelming. The best part of the hunt is stumbling upon a wonderful gem that I know my customers will love, and will be unique to Toula’s. The summer show is a special treat because it is there that I buy for the upcoming holiday season. It is always a blast gathering holiday merchandise in the dog days of summer. When everyone else is thinking beach or perhaps back-to-school, we are thinking Hanukkah and Christmas! As the product deliveries start to arrive in the fall, it feels like a big surprise. I sometimes forget what I purchased until it lands and we unpack the boxes with great anticipation. Often customers are shopping in the store as we tear into cartons of wonderful gifts and self-indulgences, and they enjoy looking at the new stuff as much as we do. I have often sold things right out of the packing box.
Since opening the store in 2004, I have developed a pretty good sense of how to gather products to meet our customers’ needs four or five months ahead of time. I often look for things with certain people in mind, knowing that they will get a thrill when they come into the store and discover what I’ve found. I guess in a way I am a personal shopper, which has become a lot of fun.
Please stop by the store in the coming months to check out the exciting offerings Toula’s will have this fall and holiday season. I won’t mind if you dig through the boxes with us to discover what great things have arrived!
Eric
I love fragrance, especially in the summertime when it is so hot here in Athens. There is something very refreshing about enjoying an uplifting, light-scented cologne in the heat of the summer. It lifts spirits and rejuvenates you. It can also be enjoyed by others as long as it doesn’t tend to overpower! For both the wearer and those nearby, a particular scent can call forth all sorts of fond memories and associations.
I have used the same fragrance all my life. I discovered it rather accidentally as a kid on a Saudia jumbo jet traveling somewhere. It was in the restroom of the airplane bathroom (the airline thoughtfully provided a little scent to improve your mood—back when air travel was civilized and fun). I remember thinking about the shape of the bottle, and then spraying the cologne on my arm. The scent was citrus, clean and uplifting. I have been hooked ever since. You know you have a great fragrance when you never tire of it.
We carry a wonderful line here at Toula’s that reminds me of my personal cologne. Beth Terry is the creative force behind several unique and wonderful scents I selected for the store after we first opened. Beth was featured in a New York Times article several years ago about indie fragrances. Customers immediately took to her scents such as Element of Surprise and Mare. They are light but complex, unaggressive yet last through the day. The packaging is simple and streamlined, with the focus falling squarely on the cologne inside.
Element of Surpirse is made up of Italian lemon, lime, white tea, and jasmine. Mare has a more spicy approach with hints of sea salt, ginger lily, and avocado. If you are in the mood for romance, Beth Terry also has a great fragrance called Element of Desire. It is composed of tea, peony, and snowdrops. We also sell Vita, a nice mix of tea, blackcurrent, plum, and lily of the valley. I believe the true test of a fragrance is when we have repeat customers, and Beth Terry now has a loyal following of women and men here at Toula’s. We are also excited about the launch of a new fragrance this summer. I don’t want to give away the surpise, but we should have it in the store very soon.
I encourage you to stop by Toula’s and check out these scents for yourself. They make for a nice respite on a hot summer day. Enjoy your July!
Eric
Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I am not a fan of summer and hot weather, especially in the south. With June, however, comes the sweet, fragrant blooms of gardenia in Georgia. I always look forward to this yearly event because of the huge gardenia shrub just outside of my dining-room windows. Every year it becomes almost magically loaded with lovely white blooms seemingly overnight, its branches struggling to not brush the ground due to the sheer volume of flowers. This particular bush reminds me of one my grandmother had in her yard when I was a kid; scents can trigger those kind of childhood memories unlike almost anything else.
The good news is that although the delicate blooms of a gardenia shrub are fleeting (once picked for a vase, they last only a day or so), we here at the store have worked diligently to collect a few products that capture the intoxicating scent.
Mistral, which I have talked about before, makes a luxurious gardenia line of soaps, body lotion, and hand cream. The liquid hand soap is one of my favorites. Seda France has also created a really special gardenia candle that is a favorite among our customers. When burned it allows a sweet yet light aroma to float through your space—really evocative of this early summer flower.
The sad news about gardenias is that come July, the blooms are gone until next year. Luckily we carry these great gardenia-scented items year round! Enjoy your sweet start to summer.
Eric