More than 25 years ago, Jenny Sligh and Kitty Culpepper discovered they shared a love for antiques and shopping. That?s when they decided to turn their passion into a business.
Sligh and Culpepper soon will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the opening of their antique store ? Appointments at Five on South Lumpkin Street. Sligh still has a copy of the article that ran in the Athens Banner-Herald about the opening on Oct. 4, 1987.
A quaint little cottage-style home nestled amongst ivy and lush gardens, it?s the epitome of Southern charm accented with European flare and a touch of Bulldog flavor.
?We have been friends for a long time,? said Sligh. ?We first started doing estate sales for people and that?s how we got started.?
The women then opened a small store on South Lumpkin that had just four rooms. Ten years later, they expanded to two houses at 1730 South Lumpkin.
?I have no idea how many rooms there are,? said Sligh.
?When we first started we sold all of our antique chests in the first week,? she said. ?I think we had 10 chests, so we knew we were doing something right, and then we expanded a couple of years later into two houses.?
One of the homes is formal, housing Waterford Crystal, fine china, silver and antique furniture. The other location, directly adjacent to the first and connected by an outdoor walkway surrounded by trees and gardens, has more of a cottage feel.
?It?s more informal,? Culpepper said.
The cottage offers customers a variety of less formal antiques, including garden statuary, wicker furniture, bookcases, sideboards, candlesticks and home decor.
The women not only love the antiques they sell, they also love to shop for them.
?We go to England and France once a year,? said Sligh. ?We just got back from England.?
?We drive all over England,? Culpepper added. ?Jenny drives and I navigate. She won?t let me drive. She says I drive too slow.?
Culpepper said the two are now working on tagging several sale items in order to make room for the newest shipment.
Once the new items come in, which can take several weeks, they plan to hold a week-long celebration that will include daily events such as book signings, demonstrations, table settings and then a large celebration.
The dates for that have not yet been set because it?s pending on their latest shipment from England.
Over the span of time, both women agree that tastes have changed, therefore the business has changed.
?I think (the consumer?s taste) is less formal,? Sligh said. ?It?s a lot more casual. Not everybody wants a mahogany chest anymore. We try to move with the times and keep young eyes.?
?We have something for everyone. We do gifts of all types, a bridal registry, invitations, announcements, baby gifts,? said Slight. ?We?re really a one-stop shop.?
? Follow breaking news reporter Allie Jackson at www.facebook.com/AllieJacksonABH or www.twitter.com/ImKjac.
Source: http://onlineathens.com/business/2012-09-22/partners-celebrate-25th-anniversary-antique-store
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