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Sunday Antique and Vintage Pickin’

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Picking. It is something that I really can’t explain or describe. It’s more of a feeling, a fire that races through your veins. It is actually something that I never thought would be apart of my life.  I never imagined just a few short months ago that I would be working in the antique and vintage field that involved digging through people’s old and discarded things and discovering treasures. I also never imagined that it would be my own family’s things.

This past Sunday, Chelsie and I ventured out to Roanoke, AL. We actually went with the intention of going to church with my family and then visiting with them for the afternoon–what really happened was far from what we planned. We made our way from church to my grandfather’s house. He is a very simple older man who has plenty of history and knowledge under his belt. He has hunted, collected, and hoarded most of his life. I know what you’re thinking–gold mine right? You would be correct. Not only does he have valuable treasures stored inside of his house, he has two barns in his pasture full of  riches waiting to be commandeered by two young and eager pickers. Now don’t let me get ahead of myself. Allow me to fill you in on what happened leading up to the pick.
As the tires of my pathfinder hit dirt from pavement, I looked over to see the expression on Chelsie’s face. It was priceless. I thought to myself, “Has this girl ever seen a dirt road before?” It is so natural to me. I grew up on this dirt road–23 years of pure dusty country. We rounded the corners one by one when we finally reached the many acres that belong to my grandfather. We stepped out of the car to the warm welcoming of my PawPaw. He then guided us around to the back of his house. I could see the excitement on Chelsie’s face. It was like watching a small child on Christmas morning–you know the look of pure interest and excitement they get when they see a pile of presents. Well in this case, it was the unknown inventory of two barns waiting to be searched.
My PawPaw was actually very excited to have us there and eager for us to see the many things he had collected over the years. We decided to start the hunt by first getting acquainted with the area. What does this look like? Well, by visiting with his many animals of course! Chelsie had never fed a donkey before so that was a definite must. As we were walking in the pasture I noticed a large glass object. My eyes met Chelsie’s and we knew we had to investigate this mysterious item. We were both stumped so I asked my grandfather what is was exactly. To our surprise, he informed us it was an old lighthouse light. Who would have thought?! In the middle of a pasture! The next thing out of my mouth was, “Can I have it?!” Of course he said yes and allowed us to load up item #1. We thought we had the perfect day with just this one pick, but it was just the beginning.
The next item that he took us to was an old “Phillips 76” store sign. It was a beauty, covered in orange and blue with a slight rust overtaking the sides. Both Chelsie and I were at a loss for words. Our eyes were huge and we drooled from the mouth when we held it up for the first time. It was truly a great find like Mike from American Pickers would discover. From that moment on, it was a race; a race to see what we could discover and a race to fill the burning desire for more treasures.
We jumped right into the first barn to continue the search for hidden gems. As we walked in, we saw a huge shelf at the entrance full of glass bottles. When we started  going through them we noticed that it was an assortment of old RC bottles, dated Clorox bottles, and a variety of mason jars. Without hesitation we loaded up every single one we could get our hands on. During the gathering of bottles, I noticed a jar filled with water and some type of pink object inside of it. I decided it was worth getting a closer look at, and when I pulled it closer I noticed it was a jar of dentures! I let out a yelp and Chelsie swooped in to calm down the nerves (For the record, I wasn’t scared, it was just a surprise). After thoroughly going through the first barn, we decided it was time to hit up the second.
As we made our way to the second barn, I noticed a kind of gleam in my grandfather’s eye. It was like he knew something I didn’t. He unlocked the door and climbed over a mountain of different items to eventually dig out a small spot in the back right corner. He then called for me to join him so that I could get a better look at a treasure that was literally buried beneath mounds of collected junk. When I finally made it through the obstacles in the barn, I saw a large log standing upright with a metal contraption on the top. I was clueless and I wasn’t afraid to admit it. I observed with such curiosity that it could have killed the cat for sure. Before I could open my mouth, my grandfather answered the dazed look I had on my face. He informed Chelsie and I that we were face to face with a 100 year old corn shucker. Wow! It was crazy to think that we had history like that right at our disposal before we could even blink an eye. To ask if we wanted to take this item was not needed. We knew we had to have this cool and interesting piece.
The experience of picking for my second time was amazing. I love it and I’m so thankful for the opportunities I constantly receive to search and find things that may seem meaningless to some people but are actually worth something to others. Let us not forget the old saying, “One person’s junk is another person’s treasure.” Before you throw something out or decide it has lost its value, call us! You may just be sitting on a treasure chest that has yet to be opened!

On the Road: Jacksonville, FL Part 2

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Who could turn their back on having a little fun on a road trip, especially when antiques are involved?

Not me.

After we finished loading up 2 box trucks at the McLawhorns house last Monday, it was time for a little road trip.  Off we drove in Jimmy and Shirley’s car to one of the oldest sites in America.  I am such a sucker for old and a person can’t find too many spots in the US older than the fort in St. Augustine.  We were following Marsh, Shirley’s son, and he grew up just a few miles down the road, so as soon as we busted into town he took us on a few side streets to show off some gorgeous historic homes – then we hit the strip.  As soon as we dead-ended into San Marco Avenue, we saw antique stores everywhere!  What a day this would be for the New Leaf weekend pickin’ crew.

Before we dove head first into the fun we had to fill our bellies.  I lived in Lakeland, Florida for a few years in college and my favorite restaurant there was Hooked on Harry’s downtown.  I was thrilled to find a Harry’s right there in downtown St. Augustine.  Although it was quite chilly, we sat on the patio overlooking downtown.  It was such a great meal… scallops, shrimp, sweet potato fries, fried calamari and so much more!  Yum.

After our meal we had to find something sweet to top off the meal, so we made a quick trip into a wonderful little bakery on San Marcos.  Then off to the antique shops.  We only had time for 4 or 5 stops, and I am going to tell you about my favorite two.  There are general antique mall type shops and then there are shops focused on some particular genre.  My two favorites were one of each.

Country Store Antiques and Mercantile was an anything goes little antique mall located at 67 San Marco Avenue.  As soon as we walked in the front door I was impressed with the depth of inventory.  We walked upstairs first and I found a couple cool little Jim Beam decanters that you can find in the upstairs store at New Leaf.  I love glass, I love bottles, and I love commemorative items.  These decanters have elements of each of those, so I had to buy them :) .  As we were walking back downstairs, one of the employees noticed what was in my hands and offered to hold them for me and directed me to some similar decanters on the first floor, of which I bought two :) .  Nothing like excellent customer service to make good sales, huh.  He spent a lot of time with us even though the shop was closing, which also impressed me.  Shirley found some Delft jewelry that she liked and this gentlemen spent at least 10 minutes with her explaining why it was special.  Just a wonderful experience and very deep inventory.  Stop in if you are in the area.

My favorite themed shop was SOS antiques at 73 San Marco Ave, which focused on nautical antiques.  The inventory was somewhat limited, but it was labeled well and several pieces had signs noting the history of the pieces.  It shopped more like a museum, but was well worth the visit.  This little shop is a depot in St. Augustine for a larger business located in the Bahamas, which is where they get most of their inventory.  It is obvious that the owner and the manager really cares about their trade.  A pleasure!

My honarable mention goes to another shop a block away.  Unfortunately I can’t remember the name :( .  The shop was crowded and small, but as soon as I walked in the door, the lady at the counter offered to stow away my package from another store.  Wow!  (Chelsie and Bryan, I hope you’re reading this)

Back to McLawhorns to sleep and rise the next morning and then back to New Leaf in Auburn.

jadite collectionWe made three stops on the way back home.  I never miss an opportunity to stop at Book Warehouse in Valdosta on exit 5 (1190 Lakes Blvd.) – great deals on good books.  Just next door to the bookstore is Farmhouse Antique Mall.  Farmhouse had tremendous inventory (even a few things I would have been interested in buying) but their prices were full blown retail! And if you know me, you know that will turn me off faster than anything!  It was, however, a fun and educational visit.

Our final stop before arriving back in Auburn was in Sylvester, GA on Hwy 82 between Tifton and Albany.  I don’t even remember the name of it, but it was one of the coolest “mantique” stores I’ve been in since going to Antique Archeology from American Pickers in Nashville a couple months ago.  Signs, gas cans, toys, etc… Great stop if you are passing through Sylvester and love the good ‘ole man stuff.  I picked up the coolest little magnet board with magnetic fishing lures.  You can find it upstairs at New Leaf.

So that’s the story of our recent road trip for those of you who have been asking.

Oh yeah, how could I forget to mention the breathtaking entryway to Flagler College!  Wow.  If you go to St. Augustine DO NOT miss a visit to Flagler.

See you in the store!

Kevin

 

 

 

On the Road: Jacksonville, FL Part 1

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It finally happened!

For three years Jimmie and Shirley McLawhorn (read about them here) have been saying, “You are going to have to bring your truck down to Jacksonville and load up all the stuff from our house there.”

I never thought they’d actually follow through with it.

Well, last weekend Bryan and I loaded up the box truck and headed South.  We returned four days later, with not one but two box trucks full of goodies!

Although Chelsie wasn’t happy that she had to “hold down the fort“, it was good for Bryan and I to spend a few days talking about New Leaf, furniture and life. We missed her, but she did a great job back home taking care of all you guys in the store.

I always try to make the most of every trip, so while we were buzzing down the interstate, I was on my Galaxy Tab (I love technology!) scouring my favorite online auction directory.  I’m always looking for a chance to do some antiques and vintage shopping. We were hoping to arrive in Jacksonville in time to hop on down to St. Augustine on Saturday night and get in on a great auction down there at Great Expectations, but we were late leaving town, so I had to find an auction on the fly :) .

I found a great looking sale in Tifton, GA.  The timing was right for us to hit it as we were passing through.  Flashing lights in the middle of the interstate forced us to take some back roads where we found “Junkin’ with Crystal”, a little hole in the wall shop somewhere in Albany.  It was a fun stop, but we found nothing we just had to have.  After getting lost (as anyone on a road trip experiences at least once with me) in Tifton for a half hour, we finally found our temporary oasis at a cool little auction house on the north side of town.  We landed a gorgeous full size mahogany bed with some beautiful carving work in the headboard, a fabulous hand-knotted rug and a cool Texaco gas can.  We loaded up and was out of there by about 9 PM and our next stop would be Jacksonville, Florida at about 11:30 that night.

The first half of Sunday was spent packing up two box trucks of the McLawhorns furniture.  Wow!  It was big and beautiful.  What a great homeplace there in the little neighborhood outside of the hustle and bustle of the big city.  The McLawhorns lived there on that little one-acre oasis for 47 years!  What a legacy.

There was a small apartment out back that the parents built for them not long after they were married.  As the years passed and the parents aged, the “big house” became their home as they nurtured and cared for those loving parents in their final years.  I always feel so at home when I am cleaning out an estate like that.  I don’t really know why.  It has something to do with the fact that there are some houses that are just houses and some that are homes.  I’m reminded of General Knapps place and Colonel Rawlinsons; Sandy Bollings folks and Dr. Knect.  Forty Seven years of family history usually makes a house a home.

Bryan got a dose of some hard work!  We had a neighbor of Jimmy and Shirley helping us named Donnie.  Donnie was one of those tough guys that has experienced more hard work in his life than most.  He gave Bryan a new nickname that I suspect will stick with him for some time…  “Youngblood.”  Next time you are in the store, call him by his new name, he’ll love it :) .

What I loved about Donnie was that he reminded me a lot of the items that we get in our store.  A little worn out and banged up, but ready for a second chance… an opportunity to turn over a “new leaf.”  That’s what I hope our store is for you: a reminder that it’s never too late to be useful and beautiful!

Sunday was a full days work, then on Monday we packed up some smalls and finished in the early afternoon.  That gave us a chance to visit a couple of great consignment shops in Jacksonville.  The first was a joy.  Wonderful customer service and some lively conversation flavored our visit to Bryson’s.  This consignment store reminded me so much of New Leaf.  It even consisted of 2 different stores just a few doors down from each other, similar to our downstairs/upstairs setup.  This visit to Bryson’s made me love what I do even more.  As we were walking out, one of the ladies at the counter asked if we had been to the largest consignment store in Jax.

I said, “No, where is it?”

They directed us and almost sounded a little intimidated as they pointed us in the right direction.  Let me tell you now that they should not have been the least bit intimidated!  I will not mention the name of the store down the highway a bit, but it was not the same pleasant experience we’d had at our previous stop.  Although the store was twice as large and the furniture a bit on the higher scale, I left that store feeling almost put off.  Not a single person spoke to us as we perused their inventory.  I attempted to make conversation with the lady at the counter, “Hi, how are you?”  She barely looked up with a quick, “fine.”  I was blown away at the contrast between the two stores!

I humbly ask you to please spend your money in places that care for you as a customer.  The little guys in this country are busting their bottoms to let you know how much they care.  That’s what small business in America was founded on and I want to see those guys and gals stay in business.

Later that day, we took off with Shirley and her son Marsh to visit one of the most spectacular tourist spots in Florida.

I’ll finish that story next time.

“Live for Less… Give More.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consignment Store Shopping in Auburn and Opelika Alabama

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Consignment shopping has been thriving for the past few years.  A struggling economy and the fear that comes along with it have driven people to discover a brand new way of shopping that is better for families, communities and even the environment.  When our economy begins to thrive again, we will all be better off by the things we have discovered through this difficult time.  One of those discoveries is consignment store shopping.

At New Leaf Consignment Galleries we encourage our consignment community to “Live for Less” so they can give more to the things in life that really matter.  We are proud of our industry and what it does to counter the materialistic culture of 21st century America.

Here are some great consignment shops right here in our neck of the woods that will help your family explore frugal living.

Fringe

consignment store fringeFringe currently has 2 stores and is just about to open a children’s shop.  Fringes tagline is “…changing shopping habits one closet at a time.”  What a great vision that will make a difference in the families in our area.  Their downtown Opelika store adds 200-300 new items on their sales floor EVERY DAY.  The downtown location carries brands such as Ann Taylor/Loft, Coldwater Creek, Chicos, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Talbots, Steve Madden, Cache, Antonio Melani, Sigrid Olsen, Lauren, Kenneth Cole, J Jill, Cabi, Boston Proper, Carlisle, BCBG, Karen Kane, Miss Me and many more.  Visit them at 125 S. 8th Street in Opelika.

Just next door to our store you will find another great option from the Fringe brand.  Fringe the Boutique offers more trendy and designer names such as Chinese Laundry, Banana Republic,True Religion, Bebe, Loft, Anthropologie Brands, Michael Kors, Nanette Lepore, Boutique Brands, Rock N Republic, Lilly Pulitzer, Gianni Bini, Free People, BCBG, J. Crew, Hobo, Seven, Express, Lucky, Cabi, Antonio Melani, Loft and many more.

Visit the website of the the largest ladies consignment stores in Lee County.

Moms and Tots

consignment store moms and totsJust a few doors down from Fringe Downtown you will find a cool place to consignment shop for children’s items.  Moms and Tots carries all types of items for the children in your home.  They offer an alternative to buying new clothes every few months for kids that grow like weeds.  Moms and Tots has an active facebook page and a great website showing some of their current items in the store. Find the store at 231 S. 8th Street in Opelika.

Sydney’s Consignment

consignment store sydneysFor the downtown Auburn frugal shopper there is Sydney’s on Gay Street.  Sydneys offers the finest modern designer labels and couture classic vintage clothing.  Sydney has been in the vintage clothing business for 9 years.  She has now expanded into the consignment clothing business.  She is also the premier provider of costume party rentals in the Auburn area.  Check out consignment in downtown Auburn. Find the store on Gay Street just South of Burger King.

New Leaf Furniture Consignment Galleries

consignment store new leafAt New Leaf we offer high end furniture and home decor and also a selection of vintage and antique items.  We are committed to helping our consignment community “Live for Less” so they can give more to the things in life that really matter.  You will find high quality furniture at 40-80% off retail prices.  We show most of our inventory online and keep our facebook page updated daily.  We are the only furniture consignment store in Auburn and we work hard to provide a tremendous alternative to retail shopping. Find us at 2436 East University Dr in Auburn.

 

We believe in shopping consignment and are certain that once you discover this environmentally sound frugal way of shopping you will never go back!

 

Consignment Furniture: Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Items

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Consignment Furniture. We’ve been in the business now for almost four years at New Leaf Furniture Galleries.  We’ve learned a few things in that time.  There’s been some hard lessons and a few things we’ve found that we actually do right.

consignment furniture tips

consignment furniture tips

One thing I’ve noticed over our time in the consignment business is that there is a huge difference in what people get for their items and how fast they sell.  The difference is not based solely on quality and condition either.  You can maximize your return on a consigned item by using a little common sense.

There are several great websites that can help you.  Check out How to Consign or this article on the national association for consignment stores (NARTS).

Here are a few of my ideas.

Be thoughtful of the season.

This is particularly important in furniture consignnent stores when you can bring anything any time of the year.  It only takes a little common sense to know that outdoor items will sell best in the early spring and fireplace tools will command a higher price in the early winter.  If you can hold onto your items for the right season, why not do so to make a few extra bucks.

A little touch up will push the price upon your consignment furniture.

Dusting and cleaning your items is a no-brainer, but have you considered covering up scratches or cleaning up the fabric.  We see items in our store sell quicker and command a higher price when a little clean-up is done BEFORE the items comes through our doors.  Old English  scratch cover or even a dab of Howards will work wonders and add to your pocket book.

Choose the right seller.

Every consignment seller is not the same!  A higher quality shop with a likeable shop owner and staff will increase your chances to sell and the pricepoint of your items.  Search around.  Don’t be afraid to drive across town.  Make a couple of visits before you pick you favorite shop.  The time it takes to do so will pay off when you drop off your two year old sofa for resale.

A little due diligence will go a long way.

There is nothing on Earth like consignment shops.  I am so thankful that I get to spend my time in one every day!  Take advantage of everything your local shop has to offer and you will be glad you did.

 

Welcome to the Auburn Family!

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We always say we never know what kind of inventory is going to walk through our doors at New Leaf; maybe we should think that about people too! As Fall approaches, there has been a buzz around town about football season starting again very soon. If you haven’t heard, Auburn has recently brought on a new coach from the Atlanta Falcons. (You can check our more about him here.)

Now we aren’t just talking about this for the sake of being excited for the upcoming season…  how that relates to New Leaf is that he has become a regular here as he has made a move to Auburn and furnishing his new home!

welcome to the auburn familyNew Leaf would like to welcome Brian VanGorder, Auburn’s new Defensive Coordinator, to Auburn! He’s become a regular customer here at New Leaf and we are excited to have him as a part of the Auburn Family!

If you are ever in the store while he’s here, make sure you give him a great War Eagle welcome!

I tell you what, things are always interesting around here… I am pretty sure we could have our own TV show. Ha!

Until next time,

-Chelsie

Fresh Out of the Oven

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Here at New Leaf we’re always on the look out not only for ways you can “Live for Less,” but also how you can “Give More.” Today a dear friend of New Leaf’s, Reba Williams, has presented a way to do just that!

If you have been in our upstairs  store recently, you may have heard that Chelsie is going to Uganda this October on a mission trip with Four Corners Ministries, which is based in Opelika. (You can read more about Chelsie’s trip here). Recently, two sisters sold homemade blueberry jam in our upstairs store to help Chelsie raise money for the trip. It was amazing to watch young children take an initiative and “Give More,” without being asked by us! The girls were thrilled to sell all of the jam and plan on making some more and bringing it to the store next week!

Reba was also inspired to give towards Chelsie’s trip and surprised us as she showed up at the store this afternoon with fresh homemade bread! We could not believe how good it smelled because it was literally fresh out of the oven! Now we aren’t just saying this, but Reba makes wonderful bread– we have personally eaten it many times and we love it. She has also baked bread for restaurants and other locals in Auburn. This is what Reba gives says about her bread:

“My whole wheat bread is made from freshly ground wheat berries that have all the vitamins and minerals that God placed in the wheat for our nutrition. I do not use any preservatives so the bread must be eaten or refrigerated/frozen within 5-7 days of baking. I use free-range eggs, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, honey, yeast, gluten, lecithin, hard red and white spring wheat,  and sunflower, millet and flax-seed.”

Reba has decided to sell whole wheat and cinnamon raisin loaves for a few Saturdays for $6 a loaf at New Leaf to help Chelsie raise money for her trip to Uganda. So if you love fresh bread, stop by on a Saturday and grab a loaf (cash or check only) and enjoy something local as well as giving to something across the world!

What a great opportunity Reba has shared with us to “Live for Less so you can Give More to the things in life that really matter,” as well as a chance  to join in a story that is bigger than ourselves.

“In order to make the story happen, we had to give it away, we had to ask for help, and when you ask for help, you are asking other people into the story with you, so it’s no longer yours, it belongs to the community that believed in it with you.”
-Donald Miller

The New Leaf Adopted Grandparents

Kevin / New Leafers / 1 Comment

Jimmie and Shirley McLawhorn first visited New Leaf at our old location just a few weeks after we opened in 2009.

From the first time I met them, I knew it would be a special relationship.

The McLawhorns, along with Carol Gregg (affectionately known as CiCi), began to visit on a regular basis and we began to tell stories, share concerns and laugh together.

Over the past few years the McLawhorns have become part of the family here.  If you come in frequently in the mid-afternoon during the week, you will probably run into Jimmie and Shirley within a few visits.  They will have just finished eating lunch at one of their favorite local spots and they’ll most definitley be ready to engage you in a conversation that will last until you drag yourself away a half hour later.

We have adopted Jimmie and Shirley as the offical New Leaf grandparents!

About once a month or so I’ll pry myself away from the store to go sit with them at a chinese buffet.  When Nathan and I are out delivering furniture in their neighborhood, we always build in a few minutes to stop, knock on their door and check out the new treasures they found at last weeks estate sale.

The first item I remember the McLawhorns purchasing in 2009 was a gorgeous piece of American brilliant cut glass.  I did not know what brilliant cut glass was at the time, but I knew this piece was beautiful.  Jimmie knew what it was and got a great deal on it in those early days before I navigated the learning curve of glassware.  Since then, I have picked on him about how he stole that piece of glass from me in my ignorance.

Jimmie and Shirley often go to Florida to take care of the business affairs of their old home place.  This week they returned and we were so thrilled when they walked in the door at the store– it was like a family reunion!  Jimmie kept telling me during their 45 minute visit that he had a gift for me in his car.  When we began to wrap up our visit, Shirley walked me to the parking lot and reached in to pull out a bag with bubble wrap inside.  I looked in and pulled out my newest treasure… a gorgeous American brilliant cut glass bowl!  The same one Jimmie “stole” from me three years earlier.

Jimmie looked at me and said with the authority of yesteryears grandpa,

“Now, I better not see that thing for sale in the store.  If I do I’ll take it back!”

I love the people that we have met in the past three years and our lives will be forever changed because they walked through the front door with a smile on their face and a story to tell.

I’m going to keep my glass at the store for a few days, so you can stop by and see it in person.  Then it’s going to it’s new home in my china cabinet right next to the amazing cut glass punch bowl that was the last gift from my adopted grandparents.

See You Next Time…

Kevin

Give More with TOMS

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Summer has started early around here– we’ve been super busy! We are getting new inventory everyday and it’s flying out of the doors. We usually don’t see this “summer” shopping season until June, but we can’t complain. It keeps things exciting and always changing; I think it’s just as exciting for our customers as it is us.

It also feels like summer because Barbara has been on vacation. Last week Kevin and I rocked out by ourselves and we are doing it again this week. Boy do I miss summer vacation from school! My mom was totally right that I’d miss it one day, especially being from Florida. It’s been wild working in both stores– I am getting a workout running up and down the stairs constantly these days. The store has been packed out and since we are short handed, it means

“It’s time to get some energy,” as one of my nieces says and run around.

I would rather be busy than slow, although it does take away from my nerdy research of inventory and time to goof off. But you gotta take one for the team sometimes, right? Ha.

If you haven’t figured it out already, I am a pretty random kid. I put some of the weirdest connections together, but to me it makes sense. So here’s a true example of that–

With all of this running around, I can’t possibly wear high heels (but are you kidding me? I am almost 6 feet tall anyways and I’d break my neck in them!) or dress shoes at the store to keep up. What makes this great is that Kevin lets me wear my favorite choice of shoes while working that are so comfy and look legit, which I love to rock– TOMS.

I know this seems random, but I’ve been thinking about our saying,

“Live for Less so you can Give More to the things in life that really matter.”

At New Leaf we love to share other opportunities  in our community for everyone to save and give. So I couldn’t help but talk about TOMS with you today. Now I’ve been rockin’ TOMS since 2008 when I was still in college and it was because I fell in love with their purpose and mission. If you didn’t know, TOMS functions around the saying:

“One for One.”

You can find it printed in the soles of the shoes, which is the soul of the company. In 2006, TOMS founder Blake started the company with the mindset that every time a pair of  shoes was purchased, one would be given to a child in need. He believed if other companies and orginzations would get on board, it could change the world.

I’ve heard some people say that TOMS are expensive, but these are also the same people who buy brand new Nikes and designer shoes. What I have to say to that is, when you buy a pair of TOMS, you are actually paying for two pairs of shoes… you are giving more to the things in life that really matter– to children in this country and around the world who need shoes! Did you know that some kids have certain diseases that are caused from being barefoot? It breaks my heart when I think about how many shoes most of us have…

If you’re interested in “giving more” by purchasing a pair of TOMS, you can pick up a pair locally at Kinnucan’s. Or you can check out the TOMS website at and order a pair online. You’ll also find that anything you buy from their site will cause something to be given to someone in need. Recently TOMS started selling sunglasses, which allows someone to have eye surgery! WOW, that makes me so stoked.

Until next time,

Chels

 

Penny Deal at Publix (Thurs. 5/10)

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The Mystery Penny Item at Publix for Wednesday 5/9 or Thursday 5/10, is:

Publix Paper Towel Roll

You can get the Publix Penny item with any purchase that is $10 or more before coupons. Most stores will require the penny item coupon found somewhere in your Wednesday or Thursday paper.

The Penny Item is for one day only, and will be the day that the ad starts in your area. This is Wednesday for all of SC and AL, and parts of GA, or Thursday for Northern GA.

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