LEBANON, VA – MARCH 3, 2022 – A desire to help make every house a home with personalized décor and furniture pieces is the reason Andrew Mays and his wife, Ashley, said they opened Southern Charm Décor LLC in Russell County.
Affordable custom-made furniture and antique restoration are what Andrew Mays said are staples of the business. Home décor items are also available at the shop, which is a recent recipient of a $10,000 Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) seed capital matching grant.
“Assisting new business owners in growing their entrepreneurship ideas is a primary benefit of the VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Grant program,” said VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel Jonathan Belcher. “At the same time, these new businesses are creating jobs in our Southwest Virginia e-Region communities. Southern Charm Décor LLC projects one full-time and one part-time job within three years, but also indicated in its business plan and application that it has future plans to open additional locations in the region.”
Mays noted that at Southern Charm Décor, furniture items can be hand-crafted based on customer specifications provided at the time of the order. Home delivery service is offered for a small fee.
“People contact us with what they are looking for and we can then custom make furniture,” Mays said. “We do restoration of antiques and we try our best to purchase locally. We find a lot through Facebook and re-do a lot of pieces from those finds.”
Additionally, Mays said he has custom-made tables, coffee tables and stove covers.
“We can custom make furniture to their specifications,” Mays said.
He noted the seed capital grant from VCEDA had assisted with the purchase of additional furniture and décor items.
“The grant, to be honest, has meant everything to us,” Mays said. “It’s allowed us to expand our offerings and grow.”
Future plans, he said, call for the shop to offer custom interior decorating services.
“We have always had the vision of creating a store that captures the heart of Southwest Virginia,” Mays said.
Mays worked with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Southwest Virginia Community College (SWCC) in the development of his application to VCEDA and received a letter of support from the Russell County Industrial Development Authority.
“Local shoppers, as well as online buyers, are benefiting from the upscale experience and inventory offered by Southern Charm Décor in Lebanon,” said Margie Douglass, SBDC program manager at SWCC. “Now, with the award of the $10,000 VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Fund Grant, the Mays’ will be able to expand the business with additional inventory and offerings.”
She added, “the Small Business Development Center at Southwest Virginia Community College enjoyed working with the business during the development of the grant application packet and appreciated Mr. Mays’ knowledge and dedication to his business, his customers and the process required to apply for the grant. With Mr. Mays’ commitment to 100 percent satisfaction to all of his customers, Southern Charm Décor LLC is sure to become a go-to business when shoppers are looking for unique and different styles of décor for their homes and for gifts.”
Southern Charm Décor LLC is located at 109 N Church Ave, Lebanon VA. Interested persons may also find it at www.southerncharmswva.com and on Facebook at Southern Charm Home Décor and Gifts.
About Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority and Southwest Virginia’s e-Region: The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1988 to enhance and diversify the region’s economy and help create jobs, markets Southwest Virginia’s e-Region and its focus on electronic information technology, energy, education, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurship. VCEDA is a unique economic development organization that manages funds for economic development projects from a percentage of the coal and natural gas severance taxes paid by coal and natural gas companies that operate in the region. Located in southwestern Virginia, the region includes Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise counties and the City of Norton. www.vceda.us or www.e-Region.org.
About the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority Seed Capital Matching Grant Fund: VCEDA region for-profit businesses one year and under with less than 10 full-time employees are eligible to apply for dollar-for-dollar matching grants up to $10,000 from the VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Fund. Applicants work with the Small Business Development Centers at Mountain Empire and Southwest Virginia community colleges to prepare the applications to VCEDA that include detailed business and financial plans. Businesses must be located in or plan to operate in the VCEDA region in southwestern Virginia that includes Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise counties and the City of Norton.