Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Barton.
Hi Jessica, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Several years ago I was struggling with where I wanted to go professionally. I craved a job that would allow me to put God and my family first while providing me with a passion to go to work every day. After a lot of praying and soul searching, I discovered that my passion for the home and my desire for people to feel welcomed and comfortable was actually a gift. I realized that I could utilize my gift of hospitality and my love for family and friends to open my own shop. I wanted a place where people could come find a piece that they loved for their home or buy a gift for a friend. My husband and I started working really hard to make preparations for opening a brick-and-mortar. Our tentative opening date was April 2020 however “life” had other plans. In February my husband had a major medical emergency and all plans got put on hold. Several weeks later the Coronavirus showed up and a “shutdown” was underway. Businesses around me were closing their doors for good and I was terrified to take the next step. My husband who is the risk-taker in our relationship pushed me to just go for it. “What was the worst that could happen?” he would say. Four months later we opened our doors July 25, 2020.
We are approaching our two years anniversary and could not be more excited. There have been lots of changes and growth and we moved locations in January to a larger space. We are loving it! We want our shop to be a place that when they enter they feel at home and all the outside world problems fade away.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The past two years have had some challenges with navigating a new business during a pandemic. Shipping delays, inventory shortages and shipping costs have played a big role in how our business ran. We have learned to be flexible and worked diligently to create the best shopping experience for our customers despite all the challenges.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We specialize in custom and unique home decor and gifts. When you walk through our door our hope is you find a piece you didn’t know you were looking for and that brings you great joy.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Atlanta is such a great city. It has something for everyone. There are amazing restaurants for every palate. There is theatre, and concert venues and if you head north there are amazing places to get outdoors and hike, kayak or boat.
What I like least is the traffic. Atlanta is fast growing because it’s such an amazing place to grow roots but with all the growth comes more congestion on the highways.
Contact Info:
- Email: the.refined.table@gmail.com
- Website: www.therefinedtablellc.com
- Instagram: @the.refined.table
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/TheRefinedTable
