Debbie Bailey’s new Grovetown sewing shop offers fabric, notions, and custom-created clothes for children and babies.
Bailey also offers sewing services, including embroidery and monogramming. The list of what she creates is extensive. The shop opened Monday at 102 2nd Ave.
“Pretty much anything that you can think of that you would need for an apartment, pillows things like that,” Bailey said. “I sell a lot of baby and children’s clothing in the store, and I have some home interior items; bags, totes, purses that are embroidered and monogrammed.”
Bailey lived in Grovetown as a teenager and attended Harlem High School. What she saw as an “under-served” fabric market inspired her to set up shop after COVID-19 halted area festivals where she displayed and sold her unique creations.
“I felt this is where I needed to be,” said Bailey of her decision to open a shop in the small Columbia County city. “I felt like it was time to venture out and do something different.”
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As a young child, Bailey found herself captivated with sewing. Previous experience in the flooring business assisted her in learning the ins-and-outs of selling fabric. After the birth of her son, she became frustrated with the availability of boys’ clothing in the retail market. That prompted her to start creating fashions of her own using high-quality knit fiber, almost exclusively made of cotton.
Customers select fabric at the boutique, and Bailey sews the clothes on site. The articles of clothing are typically available the same day for pick-up. Consumers can also select from the pre-made inventory Bailey keeps on hand. She can create from patterns patrons bring into the store or they can choose from items that Bailey has created in the past. The shop stocks a variety of fabric for seasoned seamstresses.
Southern Fabrics Boutique will host classes in the future, including wreath-making, quilting and more. Bailey sees the value in face-to-face instruction, offering interested students the opportunity to ask questions they cannot ask in an online platform. She is willing to assist beginners in learning how to operate their sewing machines.
“I want to talk to people and see what they are interested in,” Bailey said. “I want to help people sew clothes.”
Bailey’s infant and child wear is displayed at etsy.com/shop/southernfabrics. More information about the boutique is available at southernfabricsboutique.com
Shellie Smitley is a staff writer for the The Augusta Press. Reach her at shellie@theaugustapress.com
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