It's 'one of a kind' at downtown's Joli Home Accents

It's 'one of a kind' at downtown's Joli Home Accents

The journey for Cheryl Hunter and Allegra Craig, mother-daughter owners of Joli Home Accents, actually began about ten years ago. After falling in love with gorgeous Beaufort, the two decided to mesh their areas of expertise – interior design and event planning – to create a shop filled with items to decorate locals’ homes and to help Southerners entertain.

The original shop opened in October of 2007, located in Habersham’s marketplace. The shopgirls, as they refer to themselves, gained a smattering of loyal local followers both in and out of the neighborhood. By the summer of 2011, Joli had outgrown its small Habersham space, and the girls decided to make the move to Bay Street.

Moving to Bay Street was a new adventure. It allowed the shopgirls to truly achieve the mission they’d had from day one, which was to serve the local community. “We love ourJoli Home Accents out-of-town visitors,” explains Hunter, “And getting to know our neighbors and our community members is the icing on the cake. We love to see our customers regularly; to get to know them and their needs and wants.”

To ensure that Joli continues to gain a local following, Hunter and Craig started the Local Love Day initiative. “We wanted to take advantage of the experimental free two-hour parking,” says Craig. “We know that some locals avoid downtown because of the paid-parking issue. With that somewhat taken care of, we wanted to draw these locals downtown to get to know, not only our shop, but the dozens of other amazing shops here. We want to woo the locals; to make them fall in love with Bay Street shopping once again.”

What can you expect to find at Joli?

“It’s almost like a mini department store,” says Craig. “We feature categories ranging from tabletop to personal care to jewelry, and more.” Hunter adds, “The baby section is popular for purchasing gifts for newborns, and the stationery section caters to those who still appreciate the value of the written word, and who want their gifts to be wrapped perfectly.” The shop accomplishes that, containing a variety of items at a great range of price points.

It's 'one of a kind' at downtown's Joli Home AccentsMany ask the shopgirls how they decide what to carry. “We don’t believe in ordering huge quantities of the same item,” says Hunter. “We want our customers to feel like their purchase is unique; that they won’t see it at their neighbor’s house.” Whenever possible, the girls carry US made products. “We also like products that tell a story. We have a candle line – UnCork – that is made right here in Beaufort,” Hunter explains. “And we have this adorable line of baby toys that are Fair Trade – they’re made in Bangladesh and help women there to earn a living,” adds Craig. “Ultimately, we want products that have a story our customers will appreciate,” the girls say. The shopgirls also work closely with fellow merchants to ensure that product isn’t repeated along the street.

Make sure Joli – and the rest of the shops on both Bay Street and its side streets – are on your list of must-sees next time you come downtown. You won’t be disappointed.

At a GlanceJoli Home Accents
Price Range: $3.50-$3200 (for a dining table)
Most Popular Products: Anything coastal, UnCork Candles, MerSea (candles, lotions, and soaps), French Graffiti (funny towels and cocktail napkins), Lat & Lo and Lenny and Eva jewelry.
What to Expect: A variety of products. The shop carries personal care lines, candles, tabletop items, home accents, stationery, baby items, jewelry, and other gift-able items.

And, it’s a lot of fun! You can also visit Joli Home Accents on Facebook.

 

It's 'one of a kind' at downtown's Joli Home Accents