If you haven’t heard, we have a new design studio on Park Avenue. We recently moved to a charming historic cottage. The “Boardwalk Cottage”, (named by previous owner) was built in 1918. The house has a canopy of oak trees that surround the property and a liveliness of no other structure downtown.
I’ve always been fascinated with history, especially South Carolina history. After all, my family has been in Aiken since before 1847. I began to wonder what was going on in the world the year this cottage was built. We know that the Southern Railroad built the train depot in 1899- nineteen years before the “Boardwalk Cottage”. And we know that Confederate and Union soldiers marched up these streets before this house was built. In 1918 the most important event that happened was the end of World War I. It was the end of a four year war that over 1 million American soldiers fought in. And right here in Aiken, my great-grandfather, Ben Owen Taylor, was a local business owner. He started Palace Meat Market with my great-great grandfather, Joseph Whitfall Taylor.
Now this piece of history has been here for 100 years. Maybe we should throw it a Birthday Party or something? We can’t wait to keep loving on this house and celebrate it every day. And we invite all of you to stop by and see us. We have a fabulous front porch that has a seat for you. Get your taste of Mayberry and come sit a spell. It does your heart good. We will be open for retail customers that have projects they have come to depend on us to help them manage every Friday from 10-4 and Saturdays 10-1. All other days are by appointment only (more about that later).
We have a lot of love for Park Avenue and we can’t wait to see it grow and thrive.
