Located on a quaint corner of historic downtown Opelika is Jane Sweet Jane, a local, family-oriented business started by Jane Randall Jackson.
Jackson grew up in Opelika and prides herself and the business on its homegrown roots and handmade products.
"(To expand) is de\0x9Cfinitely a goal for us, a dream," Jackson said. "You kind of have to have dreams of growth to keep you going, but (the business) will always have a home in Opelika."
Jackson said choosing a location for her business was easy since her family has deep roots in the Opelika area and the business revolves around family.
Jackson said the design of each of the products available at Jane Sweet Jane are inspired by her surroundings as well as customized requests of customers.
Some items sold include pillows, totes, table runners, placemats, lamps, curtain panels and other home decor. They are assembled from locally purchased goods.
"We're very verbal about supporting local markets," Jackson said. "It is the backbone of America, and definitely the backbone of this company. We make it here and we're proud of that. If you're a student at Auburn, get involved in the community. Even if you move off, get integrated with that environment and get involved locally."
Although the Jane Sweet Jane family prides itself on its use of local goods, Jackson said some noteworthy shipments of her handmade pillows have landed in foreign places. She added that a friend spotted one of her pillows at an apartment in New York.
The average turnaround time for orders is about two days, while custom orders can take up to two weeks, Jackson said.
Jackson said even though running her own business is an ongoing process, it took off fairly quickly.
She had been painting pillows and other items for her own home as a hobby until a friend asked her to create some products for her shop.
"It just kind of caught on," Jackson said as she hovered over a large work table strewn with materials from other projects. "I had a prayer moment where I asked for something to do with my hands or to help me be content with my old job," Jackson continued.
She discussed the prospect with her sister, Laurel Jackson Callaway, and with her sister's encouragement, she successfully converted her hobby into a thriving business of her own upon opening Jane Sweet Jane Sept. 2011.
"It is important as college students to realize that once you graduate, you aren't in that same college bubble and it takes a couple years to adjust to being out of that bubble," Jackson added as she continued her work on the tote.
"Especially if you want to do something on your own--or even if you don't--you just have to work hard. It's an interesting experience to have an entrepreneurial spirit and go for it. Sometimes the unexpected can happen. Have a little faith."
Jackson believes working with family has made her business fun.
"It's the ideal situation to be able to disagree and then be okay with each other (c) ve minutes later," she said.
Callaway graduated from Birmingham Southern, and Jackson moved away to Tuscaloosa to attend the University of Alabama.
Everyone in the Jackson family is a huge Auburn fan regardless, Jackson said.
"Our hindrance has been that all of the football fans will be in Auburn," Lilli Jackson said.
However, Jackson and Callaway agreed that it is exciting for them to receive customers from the neighboring city.
"We really love the community, and we love it when Auburn students come to visit us," Jackson said. "Opelika is a very different feel than Auburn, but both are very good."
Jane Sweet Jane was recently recognized by publications such as East Alabama Living and Society South, as well as having products appear on the Junior League show circuit, at holiday markets throughout the Southeast and at holiday shows and events such as the Howl-o ween Parade in Opelika.
Customized pillows of dog faces, that were featured in last year's Howl-o-ween Parade, have become the most popular product, Jackson said, although seasonal products like burlap wreaths are popular as well.
\0x1FThe boutique hosts private parties at the end of each month, where customers can learn how to make their own seasonal pillows.
Jackson's most recent undertaking involves making large pillows for military families that depict the different places around the world where the families have lived.
She said she found a connection with the customer who originally requested the product because her fiance--who recently proposed to her inside Jane Sweet Jane--is now serving in Afghanistan.
\0x1FThe store is also considering creating a line of edible products, Callaway said.
\0x1FThey hope to start a cookie line and they plan to share their baked goods at Georgia's Cotton Pickin' Fair in October.
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