As a forester, Mike Cole is required to move about freely through some difficult terrain. But he had pain in his abdomen that was really slowing him down. He knew he could trust Dr. Anthony Foley and the team at St. Joseph’s/Candler, who discovered the giant abdominal hernia. Highly experienced in hernia repair, Dr. Foley reconstructed Mike’s abdominal wall with the innovative da Vinci robot. This minimally-invasive surgery allowed Mike to recover quickly.
Five weeks after surgery, Mike’s strength and mobility were back to 100%.
Anthony Foley, M.D. - Surgeon
They care about our business as much as we do.
Drayton Tower packs in the girl power.
Written by Jessica Lynn Curtis
Photography by Katie McGee
Heritage Gullah-Geechee foodways shine bright at Wormsloe Historic Site.
Written by Tiara Hodges
Photography by Clay Williams & Somi Benson-Jaja, Shot by Somi Studios
Try these easy, fuss-free recipes for your next picnic.
Photography by Jeremiah Hull
Savannah Bee Co. is abuzz with an exciting new chapter.
Written by Jessica Leigh Lebos
Photography by Chia Chong 114
TOP Three professionals take time to give back.
Written by Jessica Lynn Curtis
ON THE COVER
Chef Rob Newton's sourdough tartine with local ricotta and fresh vegetables from Forsyth Farmers’ Market
Photography by Michael Hrizuk
ESTABLISHED MAY 1, 1990
Savannah magazine’s mission is to celebrate the new and enduring voices of our city’s culture, commerce and creative community. Elegant and relevant. Authentic and fun. That’s your Savannah, and this is your magazine.
To subscribe and save 80 percent off the newsstand price, go to savannahmagazine.com or call 800.453.1049.
For address changes and other concerns, contact savannahmag @emailcustomerservice.com.
Send pitches, ideas and feedback to sara.watson@savannah magazine.com.
To advertise, download our media kit at savannahmagazine.com, email jane.townsend@savannah magazine.com or call 912.652.0294.
1375 Chatham Parkway, Savannah, Georgia 31405; savannahmagazine.com
SEEING THE WORLD through a child’s eyes is magic. Tasting it is, too. My son’s first food was slow-cooked, pureed green beans, which felt appropriate for a little Southern lad. Since that first bite back in October, his palate has expanded to include myr iad forms of fruits, veggies, meats and cheeses, goat cheese being his personal favorite. Last month, my husband and I celebrated his first birthday with a vanilla cupcake, and I waited, breath baited, for his response. My sweet tooth is the stuff of legend, and I wondered if it was genetic, but his reaction was tepid at best. Like my husband, with whom he shares the same eyes, nose, hands, feet, build and temperament, he much prefers savory food. Lucky for me, this issue includes recipes for spicy pork burgers, shrimp and red rice congee, grilled bok choy, French onion dip and vegetable and ricotta sourdough tartine, to name a few. I’m happy to put my sweet tooth aside
to better bond with my family, and isn’t that what food is all about? Normally, I don’t disclose how the proverbial sausage is made, but given it’s the Food Issue, it only seems right to share. Putting this issue together required lots of late nights and flexibility from our staff and contributors, most of whom are women, and many of whom are working moms. This issue’s emphasis on women in business — from the so-called Ladies of Liberty on page 52 to women across three local professional organizations helping others (It Starts at the Top, page 114) to our own team featured on page 160 — spotlights so many women who go above and beyond every day both in the office and on the home front. Case in point: Jessica Lynn Curtis, who conducted a whopping 14 interviews for this issue, recently emailed me at 1:26 a.m. (writers!) about one of her stories. I read it at 3:14 a.m. (babies!). Sounds like we could both use some Coffee Fox flash cold brew — I’m headed to page 81 for just that.
“ Tricks of the Trade,” page 57
“Melting Pot,” page 91
“Big Fish Story,” page 207
“New Brew,” page 81
Sweet, savory, succulent, sublime. Which dish (or drink) is calling your name?
NEXT UP: The Life on the Water issue. Snap a pic of your life aquatic for a chance to be featured in our July/August issue — simply tag @savannahmagazine and use #savannahmagazine on Instagram.
“We are constantly rede ning exceptional dentistry with the latest dental technology.
“We are constantly rede ning exceptional dentistry with the latest dental technology.
“We are constantly redefining exceptional dentistry with the latest dental technology.
Truly state-of-the-art!”
Truly state-of-the-art!”
Truly state-of-the-art!”
- Mark N. Dye, DMD
- Mark N. Dye, DMD
- Mark N. Dye, DMD
They’re getting off their screens and out of the house. When you live on an island full of natural beauty, the kids get to have endless adventures — and I’ve never minded a little mud.
Visit us by boat!
Complimentary Day Dockage Based on availability. Three-hour maximum.
Serving as the cornerstone of Harbour Town, the all-new Quarterdeck offers 270-degree sunset views overlooking Harbour Town Yacht Basin, Calibogue Sound and the famed 18th hole of Harbour Town Golf Links, making it one of the most sought-after dining venues on Hilton Head Island. A generous selection of indoor and outdoor seating options includes an expansive wraparound deck, indoor bar and dining area on the first floor, as well as a new rooftop oyster bar for unforgettable sunset views
Reservations and menus at quarterdeckhhi.com | (843) 842-1999
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
The Starland District’s directory of all things fun and delicious expands with Sobremesa wine bar (2312 Abercorn St.), offering wines, charcuterie and an elevated interior perfect for a chic night out … If you think there’s only one type of scone,
the Savannah Scone Company (713 E. 65th St.) will happily prove you wrong. Cinnamon roll, peach cobbler and strawberry shortbread are just some of the scone flavors to try … Alexander's Bistro (1201 Bull St.) deals in deli-style fare — think sandwiches, chicken salad or even a Scotch egg … Perc Coffee (1802 East Broad St.) is looking pretty. A recent facelift pairs up with a full menu of coffee drinks plus baked goods from Auspicious Baking Co. Sit inside to take in the new space, or get some sun on the patio … A farmer’s market staple with vegan and gluten-free hummus, IsReally Hummus (1000 Eisenhower Drive) now has a new storefront location. Try surprising flavors like pesto or spicy date …
Ride the wave into Frankie and June (115 W. Broughton St.). This surf shop, named named after two adorable French bulldogs, features surfboards and fins plus sunglasses, hats and more ways to look stylish on the sand … House of DANIETTÉ (422 W. 43rd St.) is the commercial space serving as Danietté Thomas’s design house and event venue. With services that range from wedding party designs to prom, styling and creative directing, Thomas does it all (in style) … Georgia James Pilates (6821 Waters Ave.) is the city’s only boutique reformer Pilates studio — classes focus on strengthening, toning and stretching in a serene, light-filled space designed to inspire.
Southern Living named Savannah one of the South’s Best College Towns in 2020. SCAD has helped this storybook city flourish for more than 40 creative years.
See where creative careers can take you at scad.edu.
Pet parents begging for a portrait, you’re in luck: Perry Lane Hotel hosts a pet portrait pop-up on May 13. From 3-6 p.m., bring your dog or cat — if you dare — for a personalized, live pet portrait session in the hotel library from Charleston-based illustrator Hannah Elliott (preview her realistic, incredibly detailed work on Instagram at @hannah.elliott.art). Dog treats and water bowls are complimentary, but humans can purchase
cocktails and enjoy the hotel’s relaxed, upscale atmosphere. “We love welcoming our guests and their pups to Perry Lane,” says General Manager Matthew Douzuk, who emphasizes the hotel’s pet-friendly amenities. “Hannah offers guests a one-of-a-kind live pet illustration experience, plus a souvenir to take home.” Her rates are reasonable, too: a 5x7 custom painted piece costs $50.
MAY 1
The Doggie Carnival at Forsyth Park is the perfect occasion for you and your playful pup to eat, drink and be merry (and maybe participate in the doggie derby, too).
Treat yourself to a margarita on this day celebrating the Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 — the more you know.
MAY 7
Hold onto your kilts: the Scottish Games are back at Bethesda Academy. This celebration of Scottish heritage is complete with athletic games, fun for kids, music, food and more.
MAY 13
Two-step to the 14th annual Dancing with Savannah Stars at Victory North. Each Savannah Star has a professional dancer assisting with their performances in this fundraiser supporting the Savannah Child and Family Advocacy.
MAY 20
Honor icons of the Savannah community at Senior Citizens, Inc. Legends, Leaders and Life Well Lived luncheon at the Palmetto Club at The Landings.
MAY 20
It’s parade floats vs. parade watchers at the Tybee Beach Bum Parade, where participants of all kinds hose each other down in an epic (but fun) water fight.
MAY 20
Tour lovingly restored homes (and enjoy a glass of vino) at the Historic Savannah Foundation Wine and Trolley Tour
MAY 21
Let’s dance. The Dancing Stars of Coastal Georgia gala dance competition at the Savannah Convention Center benefits the Alzheimer’s Association.
MAY 8
Happy Mother’s Day to moms and mother figures of all kinds.
MAY 4 – 26
Every Wednesday and Thursday in May, Springtime Tea at Davenport House Museum teaches tea traditions from the 19th century. Put your refined skills to the test at an authentic garden tea service at the end of each program.
MAY 11 – 12
What’s not to love? Wine Women & Shoes at Kehoe Iron Works pairs a luncheon and a fashion show with wine tasting, designer shopping, raffles and culinary delights in a charity event benefiting the Ronald McDonald House.
MAY 30
The unofficial start to summer: It’s Memorial Day!
JUN. 19
Happy Father's Day to all the dads and granddads!
JUN. 4
The Crawl of the South makes a game of bar-hopping with scorecards and a commemorative T-shirt. Plus, drinking is optional (you don’t have to purchase a drink at a bar to get your scorecard stamped).
JUN. 19 – 21
Juneteenth on the River offers artists, crafters and other vendors on River Street. Admission is free, so head out to support and celebrate Savannah’s Black-owned businesses.
The Stonewall-Anniversary Block Party at First City Pride Center rocks the block with music, drag shows and food trucks while commemorating Stonewall and celebrating First City Pride Center’s 5th anniversary.
JUN. 25
Nothing finishes a 5K like a margarita! Miles to Margaritas 5K at Daffin Park benefits Coastal Pet Rescue Shelter and rewards runners with an icy-cold margarita at the finish line.
JUN. 16
Learn more about the city’s history with the Historic Savannah Foundation’s new lecture series, ”People, Places and Stories that Define Savannah,” featuring Melanie Bowden Simon, author of Leopold’s Ice Cream — A Century of Tasty Memories
JUN. 25
The British Occupation of Savannah at Wormsloe reenacts just that. Spy on the redcoats at this historical event!
Savannah’s globe has a storied past — and a bright new future
Written by JESSICA LYNN CURTIS
BUZZ
TO GET FROM historic downtown to Southside Savannah via Abercorn Street, you have to cross the world. Located near the corner of White Bluff Road and DeRenne Avenue, a 60-foot diameter steel sphere, painted to look like a topographical planet earth, has been a hallmark of the city since its conception and completion in 1956–57, and it’s not going away anytime soon. In fact, Savannah’s iconic globe was just saved for the next generation of Savannahians to enjoy.
The globe, built by the Savannah Gas Company (now Atlanta Gas Company), is technically a Horton Sphere: a spherical pressure vessel designed to hold bulk liquids and gasses in a wide range of weather and pressure conditions, named for its inventor, Horace Ebenezer Horton. The structure, which once held 600,000 cubic feet of natural gas, is the only Horton Sphere painted to look like earth. It’s empty now — but full of stories.
Originally, the globe was painted to look like a world atlas, with the countries painted in different colors and only one label: “SAVANNAH” rendered in all capital letters. This original design was painted by James Ellison and Leo Berkemeier of Turner Outdoor Advertising. At Christmastime 1957, Santa and his sleigh were seen perched upon the new globe, headed toward Savannah. In 1963, it received its first paint job, but maintained its look. Then in 1964, a directional sign was placed in front as a tribute to Girl Scouts around the world. It had arrows showing the distance from Savannah (the birthplace of Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low and home to the first-ever Girl Scouts troop) to 11 international cities where scouting is practiced: Amsterdam, Tokyo, Oslo, Bombay, Durban, Manila, Rio de Janeiro, Athens, Melbourne, London and Toronto.
Tom Kohler, who calls himself a “born and stayed Savannahian,” moved into the then-newly developed Groveland subdivision at age 5, just as the globe was being constructed nearby. “You could say the globe has literally always been in my consciousness,” he says.
“In the summer times, you were let out in the morning and then let back in for lunch and supper. If you had a bicycle and a quarter in your pocket, you could pretty much spend the day.” Their bicycles and quarters often brought Kohler, his brother, David, and their neighborhood friends to the Globe Shopping Center.
ABOVE: Savannah's famous globe was repainted in 1998 to depict the appearance of the earth as seen from space.
TOP RIGHT: Painters perform maintenance to the natural gas storage tank circa October 1963.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Circa 1964 — a new sign post in front of the Savannah Gas Company tank gives directions and distance from Savannah, birthplace of Girl Scouting, to capital cities in other countries where scouting is practiced as a tribute to girl scouting around the world.
“Ted Henkle’s Music Shop was there,” Kohler reminisces, “and the great thing about it was every week he would paste the Billboard 100 list on a board. You could read the list and then sit at a counter, and he had all the 45s up on a wall, and you could ask to listen to a 45 before you bought it.”
Other favorites by the globe were a bowling alley and “a trampoline and Goofy golf amusement park, owned by Herb Traub,” says Kohler — Traub being the early tourism pioneer who created The Pirates’ House. A nearby drive-in restaurant called, unsurprisingly, “The Globe,” offered curb service. “There were hundreds of seagulls who feasted off what was left,” Kohler recalls.
The globe ceased storing gas in the 1970s but remained a beloved landmark. In 1998, it was sold to A to Z Coating & Sons, who repainted the globe to appear as the earth does from space. The film Forces of Nature, starring Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck, captured one of the last glimpses
of the globe with its original design. Also famously — at least in Savannah — the new design depicted 1999 Hurricane Floyd spinning in the wrong direction; it’s since been fixed.
Now, the globe has been purchased again, this time by Parker’s. Savannahians worried that this would mean the landmark’s demise, but Alderman Nick Palumbo shares how it has instead been incorporated into Parker’s design, which will include the convenience store, kitchen and gas station plus a Chick-fil-A and a Starbucks: “Parker’s chose to make the landmark an accessible feature of the new site by incorporating the structure. It was a monumental engineering challenge that included ensuring the structure would remain secure throughout demolition and reconstruction of the site,” Palumbo explains. The globe is an integral part of the Savannah universe and, says Palumbo, “in the near future, it will be the only place on planet Earth where you’ll be able to drive around the globe to get a cup of coffee.”
None
Would Have Happened if Prince Were Alive by Carolyn Prusa (Atria)
Prusa’s witty debut novel, set in Savannah during Hurricane Matthew, follows protagonist Ramona, whose life is upended upon discovering her husband’s affair as the category four storm approaches and she struggles to evacuate the city. “It probably falls under Women’s Fiction,” Prusa says, “though I hope everyone reads it!”
by Taylor Brown (Macmillan)
Epic adventure meets love story in Brown’s Great Depression-era novel steeped in American history. Vagabond couple Della and Zeno Marigold journey to the West Coast, funding their trip by performing death-defying aerial stunts in towns along the way; meanwhile, famed author (and thwarted fighter pilot) William Faulkner meets and is inspired by the couple, creating unexpected consequences for all.
The Savannah Gondolier by Leigh Ebberwein (Old Fort Press)
The second installment of romance series The Saints of Savannah, The Savannah Gondolier reinforces the old adage that you must know where you came from before you can understand where you’re going. While Ebberwein’s first book took readers to Ireland, this time it’s — you guessed it — Italy.
Should’a Been Here Yesterday. by James Lock and Mike Dale (Mixam Printing)
Publishing)
Little Jessie is struggling
to understand the death of her beloved grandfather — until the night she is able to visit him in Heaven, his new home. Their journey takes them to a place of wonder and joy, where cities glitter, angels sing, pets abound and flowers play beautiful music. Regular Savannah magazine contributor Curtis wrote this children’s book to deliver a message of hope for kids experiencing the loss of a loved one.
Celebrating the surf culture of coastal Georgia through the photography of James Lock and the art prints of Mike Dale, this book documents the feeling of surf on the Georgia coast: “Swallows gliding through coastal dunes on a hazy morning, thick rain from a warm afternoon storm or a beer on the beach in the red-fire dusk after a day spent on the water.” Dale explains that the book isn’t about the quality of the surf — “You won’t find world-class waves here,” he says. The feeling of freedom and interconnectedness along the 100-mile stretch of Georgia coast, on the other hand, is superb, “like an old dream or a vision of surfing in California before the population and pollution bloomed.”
Bar Julian’s Knead to Know series invites industry talent to collaborate on pizza — and philanthropy
Written by FEIFEI SUN
NEARLY A YEAR after joining Thompson Savannah as executive chef, Rob Newton has launched a new food series at the riverfront hotel, this time with a charitable, community-focused twist: Knead to Know is a monthly collaboration that invites local chefs to share their take on a longstanding crowd pleaser — pizza — for worthy causes.
“I’m the new guy in town, and I thought it would be fun to hang out with and get to know other chefs in town, and see what we could do through a level of collaboration and camaraderie,” Newton says of the inspiration behind the idea. Each month, he invites a local chef to Bar Julian, the Thompson’s rooftop bar, to create a specialty pizza, with a portion of proceeds going to a charity of the guest chef’s choosing. “Chefs by and large all love pizza, but not everyone has a giant pizza oven in their kitchen.”
In May, Newton welcomes Meredith Sowell, pastry sous chef at the Perry Lane hotel, who plans to bring a dessert pizza inspired by nostalgia for the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches of childhood, created with one of her favorite sweets: homemade Nutella. “I’m excited to be a part of this because I love working with other chefs and being inspired by their work,” Sowell says. “The industry is a pretty tight-knit community in Savannah, and we’re always excited to cheer on each other’s new openings and concepts.”
Knead to Know launched in February with chef Joseph Harrson of Common Thread, who kicked off the series with his interpretation of a clam pie, topped with littleneck clams, pecorino, chicories, tomato vinaigrette and lemon. March saw chef Chris Hathcock of Husk Savannah offer a pizza with pork salume, Georgia shrimp, sea beans, caramelized onions and ricotta. And in April, chefs Cody Taylor and Jiyeon Lee from Heirloom Market BBQ in Atlanta debuted a Korean-style short rib pizza topped with kimchi tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil.
To date, the series has brought in more than $1,500 for organizations including Rootstock Community Foundation, Renegade Paws Pet Rescue and the World Central Kitchen’s Ukraine relief efforts.
Total funds raised are a heartening metric, but so, too, is community involvement, Newton says. “Seeing people turn out month after month and really rally behind each chef’s organization has been a pleasant surprise,” he says. “It’s been a great way to say hi to and get to know the local community.”
“I’m the new guy in town, and I thought it would be fun to hang out with and get to know other chefs in town, and see what we could do through a level of collaboration and camaraderie.”
— Chef Rob NewtonBar Julian COURTESY THOMPSON SAVANNAH
How Holmes + Salter became Savannah’s restaurant design darlings
Written by MARGARET DANIEL // Photograph by JEREMIAH HULL
THE HOLMES + SALTER INTERIORS STORY is nothing if not kismet. “When we met in 2010 in our 2-year-olds’ preschool class, we were both about to go out on our own,” says Victoria Holmes, who co-owns the design firm with Lana Salter. “We said, ‘Wait a minute. Why don’t we do this together?’ It’s been a parallel path ever since.”
The providential parallels extend beyond the business: their children are the same ages, their husbands are close friends and the duo live just one street apart, enabling them to share a home office and, in between client meetings and site visits, carpool duties.
“It’s been easy,” Holmes says of the work-and-play partnership. “Somehow, we don’t get sick of each other!”
And then along came COVID — the great workplace upset. While many found themselves directionless, Holmes and Salter decided in unison that after a decade of residential projects, the firm was ripe for a pivot and, as fate would have it, their clients were, too.
“We had clients with backgrounds in PR and finance whose home we had done years earlier call two days after the world shut down saying, ‘You’re going to think we’re crazy, but we just bought a restaurant and want to know if you can help us with it,’” Holmes recalls. The pair heartily assented.
That crazy idea eventually became Oak 36 Bar + Kitchen, a new dining staple in the Twelve Oaks shopping center. With its handsome mix of earthy green and brown leathers, black tin ceilings and aged brass light fixtures, the restaurant quickly attracted attention for its casually sophisticated vibe and fresh, Southern-inspired menu.
Word spread, and just a few months later, Jennifer and Brian Huskey, owners of The Gaslight Group, brought the designers on board to direct the renovation of their newest restaurant venture, The 5 Spot Sandfly, which opened in October 2021.
Completing their restaurant trifecta was Vic’s River Grille, sister restaurant to Bay Street staple, Vic’s on the River.
“That felt really unique,” Holmes says of the opportunity to redesign the former mill on historic River Street. “The direction was to honor the [building’s] history and bring it into the 21st century.” With its delicate black and white tiling, marble-topped tables and carved wooden bar, the restaurant is a welcome respite from the sights and sounds of the bustling street outside.
“We got to put our own spin on each space,” Salter says of the distinct atmospheres Holmes + Salter created. “The owners are there to run a business, so they have a clear idea of function, but as far as the vibe goes, they left it up to us.”
“Everyone we’ve worked with in the restaurant industry has been easy going and very trusting,” seconds Holmes, noting that the mix of design autonomy and client trust has won the duo over to commercial design. “It’s been great, and we would love to keep doing restaurant projects and, at this point, boutique hotels. We’ll put that into the universe and see if it comes our way,” Holmes says. Did you hear that, Lady Luck?
“We got to put our own spin on each space ... As far as the vibe goes, [the owners] left it up to us.”
— Victoria HolmesVictoria Holmes and Lana Salter
6 a.m.: My alarm goes off, and my husband, Mike, and I are out of bed and getting our day started. I love to work out, and the Habersham YMCA is close by. Their new EGYM system keeps me updated in real time on my balance, strength and agility and helps me set new personal goals. The technology is amazing, but I also enjoy traditional classes like yoga.
9 a.m.: I’m at the office first thing to greet our employees and check in on their plans for the day. We cross-train our staff so that if one position is overwhelmed, others can pitch in so that all tasks are completed and our customers can have the ultimate experience. If I’m going to a client meeting, I’ll put together my presentations, product samples and anything else that I need. If it’s back in our showroom, we have samples, presentations and all of the pieces that our clients need to see to make good decisions on how to spend their marketing and branding funds for products like branded apparel, backpacks, tote bags, cups, hats, pens, cell phone cases and more. If it’s virtual, we also have an 84-inch television in our conference room — everyone can see!
1 p.m.: I typically eat at work, but it’s a true lunch break. My team and I shut off our phones, and everyone sits together to talk life (not business!) and enjoy each other over lunch. When everyone has a break at the same time, it feels like it’s a real pause in the day. That’s not to say we don’t go out for lunch here and there. Sweet Potatoes Kitchen is one of my favorites, and I also love Oak 36 Bar + Kitchen.
5 p.m.: I’m a big proponent of work-life balance, so after lunch I’m asking employees where they are in the day, if anyone needs help and how we can walk out the door at 5:30 so everyone can enjoy their family. I start telling people to get out about 20 minutes after 5!
7 p.m.: I hate throwing a meal together, but I love to cook. The preparation, the time and the love that goes into it are all part of my cooking. I probably whip up more extensive weeknight meals at night than most, but it’s my time, and I enjoy it. Occasionally my daughter and grandson will stick their head in the door, especially on taco or spaghetti night. If it’s the weekend and my husband and I would rather go out, we live on Oglethorpe Street, so we can throw a rock and hit more places than I could ever visit. There are so many amazing options — The Public Kitchen & Bar, Local 11ten, The Vault Kitchen & Market. We love The Collins Quarter, 17Hundred90 Inn and Restaurant, The Olde Pink House and Bull Street Taco for something more casual. I’ve tried to replicate their fish tacos, but I haven’t quite gotten there yet. Can you tell we just love to eat?
10 p.m.: At the end of the night, we try to detox from digital devices and enjoy each other’s company and good conversation instead: “Here’s what my day was like, and here’s what I’m hoping to do tomorrow to make my day better, or to play off today’s great day and make another memorable one.” We aren’t avid TV watchers, but we could get hooked on a Netflix original!
The Ad Specialty founder and owner (and passionate foodie) shares a day in the life
TITLE: Woods Of Gold
SIZE: 24”x36”
MEDIUM : Oil on canvas
TITLE: The Sweet Spot
SIZE: 48”x60”
MEDIUM : Oil on canvas
Paintings of the southern coastal landscape. www.dottieleatherwood.com | www.marchansonart.com
SUPPORTING WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES is easy at Drayton Tower, the 12-story federal landmark building at 102 E. Liberty St. On the ground floor, nine different spots are owned by nine different, exceedingly cool women.
When I made a visit to Drayton Tower to better understand their overall ethos, the love and camaraderie was apparent. I saw them popping into each other’s businesses, learned of different crossover events and even saw an ad for one business in another business’s window.
“Every day, we’re visiting, patronizing or helping each other in some way,” says Allison Falkenberry, who owns Ōtium. “That’s what makes this lineup so interesting — we’re actually friends, so we’re truly invested in helping each other.”
For these so-called “Ladies of Liberty,” who share the name with friends Elizabeth Seeger and Mahala Lewis of Satchel, 4 E. Liberty St., being in one of the city’s tallest buildings means the sky’s the limit: In just a few short years, they’ve reinvigorated Drayton Tower’s ground floor with a mix of retail, fitness, a restaurant, a salon and more. What glass ceiling?
Allison Falkenberry, Otium Falkenberry, a former New York publishing and media executive who still works as a crisis communications consultant, was the first Lady of Liberty to arrive at Drayton Tower with the opening of Ōtium wellness studio in 2018. “When I wasn’t working, I was studying mindfulness, epigenetic and neuroscience fields,” she says. “That’s what led me to open the studio here.”
She describes the space as a “boutique yoga and fitness studio with a mission to ‘support the good.’ That intentionality is reflected within artfully designed classes and a welcoming space for good movement, good music and good mood.” otiumstudios.com
“Savoy Society is a neighborhood cocktail bar and restaurant where people of all walks of life can come enjoy themselves,” says Jane Fishel, the second of the nine to plant roots at the tower (she co-owns the bar with partner Matt Garappolo). Its ambience — Fishel calls it “soft, psychedelic tiki” — pairs a purely vinyl soundtrack, carefully curated by a crew who love to sing and dance along, with small plates like smoked salmon and avocado flatbread and, of course, cocktails. Martinis by the pitcher are on the menu alongside mocktails, too, but if Fishel had to pick, the Omaha, Nebraska, native says it’s an easy choice: “A gin sonic and a shot of Fernet Branca.” savoysociety.com
When Michelle Peth’s younger sister experienced some scary skin cancer issues (don’t worry – she’s OK!), Peth made it her mission to create a natural product that would give people a sun-kissed look without any sun damage. Her organic spray tan company, BEETTAN, spotlights a not-so-secret ingredient: beets.
When Peth first began her business, “people around Savannah called me ‘the little spray tan girl,’” adding, “I think they still do, actually.” But the moniker belies Peth’s prowess: She’s also a realtor with Vantosh Realty Group, working under managing broker Beth Vantosh, who is responsible
for the Drayton Tower listings. “I enjoy the way [Beth] curates business, and I respect her as a woman in this business. And knowing that I’m a woman in business, she comes to me, like, ‘Hey, I know you know all these other women,” Peth says. The result? Six other women opened spots in the building. beettan.com
The first business Peth brought in was Pima Boutique, owned by Paszamant, who was one of her first spray tan clients. Paszamant, who moved to Savannah from New Jersey during high school, has close connections to the space. “I went to St. Vincent’s, right around the corner from the store,” she says. She then studied graphic design at Savannah College of Art & Design, knowing all along she wanted to one day open her own clothing boutique — one that offered “affordable, trendy clothing for all different age groups.”
Pima’s Liberty Street storefront features a mix of styles, from soft colors and flowy fabrics to more fitted and even retro looks. The overall effect is fresh and feminine. pimaboutique.com
Next came Mamie Ruth and M. Liz Jewelry, two businesses occupying the same space. “They were good friends of mine who supported me and my business in the beginning when they were located at the other end of Liberty Street,” Peth says.
Mamie Ruth is a vivid world of brightly colored clothing and accessories, inspired by the music festival scene where Emily Bargeron got her start. “I went to my first music festival in college and fell in love with the culture,” she says. She felt at home among the colorful patterns and eccentric garments and wanted to be a part of that world. Bargeron first started selling T-shirts at concerts “just so I could go to more shows.” She began sewing entire outfits to sell at festivals and was a walking advertisement for her own work.
She eventually parlayed her experience and fashion degree into three stores: Mamie Ruth,
named for her grandmother and now located in Drayton Tower; East & Up, which sells vintage clothing and accessories; and Starland Strange, an experiential retail collaboration with co-owner Marguerite Seckman. mamieruth.com
Mary Liz Craft, M. Liz Jewelry
Mary Liz Craft was raised in Akron, Ohio, and went to SCAD for Metals and Jewelry. Upon graduation, she went to work for ZIA Couture Jewelry. “[ZIA owner Zia Sachedina] was a huge mentor,” Craft says. “I learned so much from him about running a business, both in retail and production.” To create her own jewelry line, spotlighting dynamic yet classic pieces, all formed from meticulously sourced materials, Craft found early inspiration at home. “My dad owns his own company,” she says, “and I watched him go from a one-man operation to having hundreds of employees over the years.” Craft describes her mother as “super creative” — “We spent lots of our childhood engrossed in arts and crafts projects, and she made all our clothing as kids.”
The women in Drayton Tower offer inspiration, too: “Meeting the community of businesswomen in Savannah has been one of the biggest blessings of my life and my career,” she says. “I feel like we are all so successful because of each other. We are there to help each other through the bad patches and to celebrate all the victories.” mlizdesigns.com
When a small space attached to Ōtium opened, Peth needed to find a business that would match its vibe. The exquisite Fern Soapery, owned by Courtney Bell, was a perfect fit.
“Fern Soapery is deeply rooted in two values: using clean, botanical ingredients and maintaining a high standard of eco-consciousness,” says Bell, who describes herself as a forward-thinking creative who is always learning. “I studied as a chemistry student for three years, and I’ve been formulating and making skin care products for six years now,” she says.
Her soaps may smell good, but they do good, too. As of press time, Bell’s business is “transforming into a bath and body refillery to further support our community’s need for clean, low/zero-waste personal care products.” fernsoapery.com
When a spacious property on the Drayton Street side of the building became available, Peth immediately thought of her friend of 20 years, hairstylist Amanda Bryant. After eight months of renovations, Bryant and Les Proper salon moved in. The salon also houses Peth’s BEETTAN and Emma Proulx Fischer’s Bad Witch Nails, plus a gallery with rotating works from local artists.
Les Proper isn’t Bryant’s first foray at Drayton Tower, either. “I’ve been a stylist for 14 years and was previously at another salon that was also once located in Drayton Tower,” she says. When her long-term friend Peth mentioned the opening, Bryant decided to venture out on her own. “The space is meant to be fun, laid-back, clean and comfortable,” says Bryant. Its name is a bit tongue-in-cheek, too, says Bryant. “It’s not conforming to society or what is considered appropriate.”
A fashion-loving bad witch from Brooklyn, Fischer, who graduated from SCAD, was “always into really tiny canvases.” Nails — tiny blank canvases, as it turns out — “ended up being the perfect intersection of art and fashion for me,” Fischer says. “I love how nails can act as an accessory to someone’s whole look.”
The name “Bad Witch” is not only a play on the NSFW rhyming phrase, but also a nod to Fischer’s “nerdy obsessions like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Harry Potter” (she started out by painting literature-inspired artwork on her own nails). Fischer has been doing nails since 2017, but was thrilled to move into Les Proper in October 2021. Her wildly creative gel manicures are miniature works of art. badwitchnails.com
An ambitious renovation turned the neighborhood eyesore into a Southern charmer
Written by MARGARET DANIEL Photography by KELLI BOYD
“You know within four seconds of entering a home if you want to go in further,” says Kati Ann Wright. But don’t worry: “You can make any house a home if you can envision it.”
Although conveying that vision to her clients is a specialty of Wright’s (she’s a real estate agent with ONELUXE Realty Group), one secluded, golf course home in The Landings evaded even the most optimistic of imaginations: A stale brown façade, layers of leggy shrubbery and yellowed oak cabinets left potential buyers unconvinced of its potential.
“I showed it to multiple clients of mine and all of them walked in and said, ‘No, thank you’ because the project was so extensive,” Wright recalls. But with her own vision for the property fully formed after showing it for weeks, she decided to tackle the “brown beauty” herself, purchasing the home in February 2021 and immediately taking it down to the studs.
“Not one room really made sense,” Wright says of the polished brass finishes, parquet flooring and code-defying bathrooms, all relics from its early 1980s conception. “It was a disaster.”
Wright started with the home’s façade, where she laid out a flagstone walk lined with boxwoods and hydrangeas, filled cheery window boxes with the season’s showiest flowers and added a
pergola covered in jasmine for a fresh take on the front porch. To lighten the expansive interior, she opened the foyer and stair hall to the living area and clad the walls in white board and batten — the perfect, indestructible backdrop for the family’s gallery wall.
She continued this visual vocabulary throughout the home, mixing weathered, wooden antiques from Clutter Furnishings and Interiors and Tapley’s Mercantile with playfully durable furnishings, like the cowhide coffee table in the living room, sourced from Gaston Crue Lifestyle & Interiors. Warm greens and browns
“You know within four seconds of entering a home if you want to go in further. [But don’t worry:] You can make any house a home if you can envision it.”
— Kati Ann WrightWarm greens and browns inside complement the Lowcountry landscape just beyond.
STYLE appear in a mix of soft velvets, linens and chalky paints throughout the open floor plan creating the stylishly “muddy” interiors Kati Ann loves. “There’s nothing worse than walking into a home and feeling like you’re in a museum, like you cannot touch anything,” Wright says. “I like the patina in my home. You walk in and know it’s welllived in.”
Patina also happens to work well for Wright’s everyday life. To further outfit the home for her family, she carved out a mother-in-law suite for her mom and a new playroom complete with a Dutch door for her active toddler, Talmadge, ensuring he plays happily while she cooks dinner and catches up on business calls from the adjacent kitchen.
Here, Katy Osterlund (KLO Interiors) and Wright balanced French flair with commercial touches inspired by the realtor’s favorite restaurants. Aged brass lighting and bin pulls shine against glossy white subway tiles and off-white cabinetry. Anchoring the space are a towering walnut range hood — her favorite feature — and coordinating island housing a chewy ice machine, Thermador warming drawer and two refrigerated drawers. “I told [AWD principal Harley Ashbaugh], ‘If I don’t get the walnut hood, I’m not doing the renovation,” Wright says with a laugh, stressing the importance of the focal point designed by AWD of Savannah.
Just off the bright kitchen, a moody, black butler’s pantry serves as a workhorse room for food prep, bartending and china storage — party prep is a cinch. “This home was built in a way that I could multitask and still be a mom,” Wright says of the methodically planned design that considers work and play.
To accommodate the former, the Realtor transformed what was once a sitting room into a sophisticated office tucked neatly behind a pair of French doors. Walls wrapped in suit gray make the space feel expansive, while large windows adorned with bamboo blinds throw slits of summer sunlight atop the antique farm table repurposed
“ There’s nothing worse than walking into a home and feeling like ... you can’t touch anything. I like the patina in my home. You walk in and know it’s well lived-in.” — Kati Ann WrightABOVE: The living room’s vaulted ceiling allows an alternate view of the space. BELOW: A Dutch door allows an active toddler to roam under a watchful eye.
A black and white theme softened with shades of ivory lend a classic, tropical feel to this primary bathroom.
LEFT: Rich brass details bring a touch of the classic into the bathroom.
ABOVE RIGHT: The primary bedroom is a natural extension of the tropical feel, creating a welcome oasis in tones of ivory and green.
as Wright’s desk. Here, the occasional crayon finds a home among a stack of client files — evidence of a curious toddler. “I love being able to be here with him during the day,” she says. Still, after a 9 to 5 packed with work and mom duties, Wright retreats to her decadent primary suite, complete with dream closet. “What woman wouldn’t want one?” Wright says. “It’s beautiful.” Equally lovely, her bathroom is a lavish spa of cream shiplap and white marble tiling finished with two marble-topped vanities, a modern soaking tub and a dual-sided fireplace that serves both the bathroom and bedroom.
During the year-long renovation, Savannah’s real estate market exploded with many properties selling overnight and for far more than asking. “We’ve seen a drastic number of people decide to plant themselves in [our] gorgeous city.” With so many on the move, Wright is happy to be rooted, for now.
“I’m in houses all the time, so I won’t say it’s our forever home, because if there was another project that intrigued me, I could see us moving,” Wright says. But for the time being? “We are so incredibly happy here.”
Owner: Kati Ann Wright
Year built: 1990
Square footage: 3,142 square feet
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms: 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths
Time to complete renovation/remodel: 1 year
Interior design: Kati Ann Wright; Katy Osterlund, KLO Interiors; Crue Conley, Gaston Crue Lifestyle & Interiors
Tile/flooring: The Rug Shoppe
Windows/doors: Coastal Sash & Door
Kitchen design: Kati Ann Wright, KLO Interiors, AWD
Lighting: Lowcountry Originals, Visual Comfort
Landscape design: Grassroots, R&R Landscape & Hardscape
Furniture: Gaston Crue Lifestyle & Interiors, Clutter Furnishings & Interiors, Serena & Lily
Appliances: Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, Thermador
Hardware: Bird Decorative Hardware & Bath
All details supplied by homeowner
Reverend Arthur Broadwick with his wife and children
Dr. Michael Chisner and Sharon Chisner
Wayne and Brian Pennell
As told to SAVANNAH MAGAZINE // Photography by MICHAEL HRIZUK
ASK ROBERT NEWTON why a chef of his talents and resources would bother with a small, local farmers market (the Fleeting executive chef’s resume includes tenures at Le Cirque and Aquavit
in New York, where he also owned and operated Seersucker Restaurant and Smith Canteen), and his response is emphatic: “You could do a whole piece on ‘why bother,’” he says.
We joined Newton at the Forsyth Farmers’ Market on a sunny Saturday morning to learn a few chef-approved tricks on navigating what’s in season. We expected a few clever strategies for how to pick the right produce, perhaps. What we didn’t expect was Newton’s fervor. He is an ardent supporter of farmers and their crops, and his restaurant, Fleeting, is rooted (pardon the pun) in micro-seasonality; it’s all about what’s freshest right here, right now. We followed him back to the kitchen, where we were equally delighted by the three dishes he prepared — and shared — using ingredients straight from the farmers market. Savor it all below. — SM
I WANT TO DEMYSTIFY AND HELP PEOPLE not feel intimidated at a farmers market. Most farmers I’ve been lucky enough to work with truly want to share more of what they grow. That’s not from a monetary perspective at all. It’s that they’ve grown it out of their earth on their farm, and they want to share it with people. If we don’t have farmers, we don’t have things to eat. We need people to be excited about growing things for us — and then we need to support them. As a chef, the really cool thing about seeing others support local farmers markets is that it gives more power to the farmers, and then other smaller companies and restaurants become interested and buy from them, too, which creates a positive feedback loop. A lot of running a restaurant is getting things delivered to you, and here, we have an aggregator called Grow Food Carolina that sources things regionally, and they come down once a week and bring stuff to Fleeting. That probably wouldn’t have happened 10 or 15 years ago because the interest wasn’t there. So if consumers, chefs and restaurants show interest in sustained use of farmers’ crops, then aggregators pop up, and before you know it you’ve got this whole, big sustainable circle that has an impact. It allows us all to have nicer ingredients in our kitchens, and it forces bigger commodity groups to pay attention.
As far as what I know that someone outside the industry might not, is that people get really hung up on organics (although I do love Gannon Organics). For me, I think something being organic is less important than just knowing your farmer: knowing how they grow things, knowing how they treat their staff and their vegetables and their animals. It’s better for the farmer not to have to worry about organic certification — it’s a lengthy process that happens through the United States Department of Agriculture — and it’s more affordable for the person shopping. It also gives consumers the opportunity to talk to their farmers and get to know them.
Once you start going week to week, you’ll see new things pop up and know they’re the freshest. And I mean it: You really do need to go every week. That’s because we need to support the farmers, of course, but from a chef perspective, I believe it’s really important to get to see the season unfold. That’s how Fleeting was conceived and how it got its name. We’re thinking seasonally, and even micro-seasonally, so Executive Sous Chef Victoria Shore and I go every week to see what’s fresh. I’ll sometimes walk around in a dreamlike state, noticing how fava beans came into season very early, or how strawberries had a shorter season than I anticipated, or that crosnes (knotty, fingerlike tubers native to Japan) are available right here in Savannah. I had only ever seen them shipped in from France before! These types of things aren’t chef stereotype cliches. Being in touch with the season is important to me and a mantra that I live by: Operate with what’s happening in the earth and in season where you are.
Five of Newton’s favorite stalls
Billy’s Botanicals for herbs, lettuces and greens
Bootleg Farm for ricotta cheese
Gannon Organics for organic produce
Vertu Farm for greens, herbs, radishes and turnips
Whippoorwill Farms for chanterelles, eggs, pork and vegetables
4thick slices of Stevedore sourdough or your favorite artisan bread
1 c. Bootleg ricotta or your favorite spreadable cheese, or butter
1 c. Picked and shelled Billy's botanicals fresh fava beans (can substitute fresh peas or slivered, blanched asparagus)
2 small green bulb onions or 4 large scallions, halved Olive oil
Dill, basil or mint leaves
Lemon, preferably Meyer Red pepper flakes, to taste
Black pepper from a peppermill, to taste
Rub both sides of each slice of bread with olive oil, then toast on a panini press, cast iron skillet or in the oven. Toast until golden brown on both sides, and sprinkle with salt on one side while hot.
Meanwhile, sear the onions in a skillet, flesh side down, until very caramelized (brown and soft to the touch). Set aside. In a small bowl, dress the fava beans with olive oil, salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Mix well.
To assemble, smear ricotta on the salted side of each slice of bread. Pull apart the onions or scallions, and spread into the ricotta. Top with the dressed fava beans, and garnish with fresh herbs, such as dill, basil or mint. Add red pepper flakes and ground black pepper to taste, if desired.
1 tbsp. butter or olive oil
¼ c. Carolina Gold rice
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 clove garlic
4 c. water or stock such as shrimp or chicken stock or a combination
1 dozen shrimp, 16 – 20 size Cornstarch as needed, approximately 1 c. Egg whites from 2 or 3 eggs Chill crisp (available in an Asian market or Whole Foods)
Oil to fry shrimp
Salt and pepper, to taste Soy sauce, to taste Fresh cilantro
Heat the butter or oil in a heavy bottomed medium pot. When hot, add the rice and stir constantly until coated and fragrant. Add the tomato paste and mix well, frying it into the rice. Add the clove of garlic, stir and when all is fragrant but not burning, add all the stock. Mix well to release any bits
from the bottom of the pan. Cover, reduce heat to the lowest setting and allow to cook for approximately 1 hour, checking and stirring every 15 minutes. The rice will over-cook and get mushy, which is the intent. At the end if it gets too thick, add up to 1 more cup of water or stock until a nice porridge-like consistency is achieved. Season with salt or soy sauce. Add the soy sauce sparingly if using. Reserve and keep warm.
Peel and devein the shrimp and make a broth from the shells, or buy the shrimp already cleaned and ready to go. To a bowl, add enough cornstarch to coat the shrimp. In another bowl, add enough egg whites to coat the shrimp, plus 1 tbsp. of cold water. Meanwhile, add up to about 1/4 c. oil to a large pan and allow to get hot over medium-high heat. The oil should be almost smoking when ready to fry. While the oil is heating, add the shrimp to the egg white mixture and mix well to coat. Remove the shrimp from the egg white mixtures and add them to the bowl of cornstarch, mixing well to coat. Fry the battered shrimp in the hot oil in batches, flipping once (they will only turn slightly brown, if at all). Test one for doneness and when done, remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Season copiously with salt and fresh black pepper.
Serve the congee in bowls or on one large platter and place the shrimp on top. Garnish with cilantro and chili crisp.
Olive oil
4 oz. country ham or prosciutto Baby lettuces, such as pea leaves, mustards or arugula
One lemon Flaky sea salt, such as Bull's Bay Saltworks or Maldon
Peel and trip the tops of the turnips, place in a pot with cold water (reserve 1 raw for slicing) and slowly bring almost to a boil with salt to taste. Simmer until turnips are very soft but not falling apart. Reserve 8 for the dish and puree the remaining 4 with olive oil and salt to taste. Use a ricer if not using a blender. Chill the puree and turnips.
When ready to serve, cut the turnips in half and combine with the lettuces of choice. Using a mandolin, slice the reserved, raw turnip paper thin. Add to the turnip and lettuce mix. Divide the puree among 4 plates or on one large platter. Dress the greens, cooked turnips and raw turnip shavings with lemon juice and olive oil to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Place this salad around the puree and serve the slices of ham interspersed with the salad. Finish with more lemon juice, olive oil and flaky sea salt.
ON THE SOUTHERNMOST EDGE of the Starland District, a two-story yellow house sits at 43rd and Whitaker streets, a bright spot on an otherwise unremarkable block. Step inside and you might think you’re at a coffee shop, but a sign behind the vibrant yellow espresso machine says otherwise. “We are not a coffee shop. We are a specialty coffee service.”
Troupial began four years ago as a small Venezuelan bread delivery service, growing to a Forsyth Farmers’ Market staple before becoming a brick-and-mortar shop at The Garage in February 2021. In late March, service began at the yellow house, which can seat up to 100 guests between two floors of dining space and outdoor seating. Coffee is the heart of the endeavor, and great food — like traditional, house-made Venezuelan bread — adds an additional layer of interest, says Troupial’s founder, Majo Laprea Rodríguez. The specialty coffee service concept is also a culturally South American idea.
“It’s not just a place to get a cup of coffee,” she says. “It’s a place where you create memories and have special moments with friends or just with yourself.”
In Venezuela, breakfast and dinner are lighter meals built around arepas. Venezuelan arepas are a cornmeal pocket you can eat plain or stuffed with whatever you want. One of our most popular arepas is the Vegan Green, which features a homemade vegan dressing, local greens from Vertu Farm, tomato and avocado. If you want to try a traditional Venezuelan breakfast arepa, the Perico is stuffed with our traditional scrambled eggs, which have tomato, onion and a touch of heavy cream.
After I moved here, I took baking lessons with a Venezuelan baker over FaceTime and started baking traditional breads. So, all our breads are authentic and remind me of home. One creation that really connects me to my family is Tovar, which is one of the mini breads we offer. It’s basically guava and
cheese. I also love the French and Butter, one of our specialty breakfasts that is very popular. It includes a choice of specialty coffee (espresso, doppio, cappuccino or flat white) with two warm mini baguettes, farm butter and jam. These small baguettes are very traditional — at 5 o’clock [in the evening] every day in Venezuela, you can go outside and follow the aroma of this bread coming out of ovens everywhere. We also have a combo option called Hey Cappuccina, which is named after my cat. For $9, you can choose a piece of mini bread and a drink. We created this with Savannah College of Art & Design students in mind, so they could have a good breakfast at an affordable price with lots of options.
This house was built in 1915, and our goal was to honor the time period with the renovation while also featuring local artists
throughout the space. We found period antiques at auctions and paid attention to small details like seat cushions. There are also troupials all around the place, which is the national bird of Venezuela. Our interior designer is my close friend Andrew Gauthé, who was my first roommate in Savannah when I arrived four years ago and couldn’t speak a word of English. His wife, Laurel, is one of our featured artists. The second floor houses our permanent art collection, and downstairs, all the art is for sale to support local artists.
When I came in, I revamped the entire menu. I change the menu items as the seasons change. Some dishes last 60 weeks, some last two to four weeks — depends on the availability of
local products.
“It’s not just a place to get a cup of coffee. It’s a place where you create memories and have special moments with friends or just with yourself.”
CUSTOMERS OF THE COFFEE FOX and its sister cafes have been enjoying drinks made with locally roasted beans from PERC for years. Now they’re getting an extra-local treat — beans roasted by the company itself — with the launch of The Coffee Fox Roasting Co. arm.
Last fall, The Coffee Fox team began sourcing and roasting their own coffees out of their Louisville Road location, spearheaded by production roaster Kim Spera. They began by roasting all the espresso and drip coffee for the Foxy cafes across Savannah, which include Foxy Loxy Cafe, Henny Penny Art Space & Cafe, Fox & Fig Cafe and both locations of The Coffee Fox. The team then expanded to cold brew, and with the recent addition of a second roaster, production now includes single-origin offerings, in which all the beans come from one farm.
“It’s been nice to have the freedom to experiment with our own blends and to see both what our customers respond to and what our team enjoys,” Spera says. “We’re just beginning to play around, and I’m excited to keep exploring different tastes we can add to our cafes.”
The Coffee Fox owner Jennifer Jenkins had wanted to roast her own beans for years, in part so she could also oversee the branding. Jenkins, a SCAD MFA graduate, studied fibers and worked often with printmaking, even teaching as an adjunct printmaking professor earlier in her career. Interested in “how a space can bring people together in the neighborhood,” she opened the first in the family of coffee shops, Foxy Loxy Cafe, in 2011 after spending a lot of time during her SCAD days in the Starland District, attending shows at Desoto Row gallery.
She was also inspired by an origin trip she had taken more than seven years ago to Selva Negra, a coffee farm in Nicaragua, where some of her favorite beans are grown. “Even though it was a long time ago, that experience has remained with me,” Jenkins says. “Everything from the women-owned farms, to the three generations of pickers, to their eco-conscious practices aligned with what’s important to me and what I want to support.”
But it was ultimately the technology behind coffee company Bellwether’s roaster that tipped the scale and encouraged Jenkins to embark on the new venture. As she explains, the roaster’s technology allows a small business owner like herself, who might not have the experience or education of a master roaster, to produce and offer coffee at scale. Bellwether’s roaster allows Jenkins to digitally connect to a green marketplace of sustainably sourced beans from Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Mexico, among other countries, which can then be roasted to produce blends or single-origin offerings.
The Co ee Fox doubles down on local flavor with the launch of its namesake roasting company
“It’s been nice to have the freedom to experiment with our own blends and to see both what our customers respond to and what our team enjoys.”
In addition to providing beans and blends for its cafes, The Coffee Fox is now also offering retail bags of their four core coffees: Foxy Blend, Flywheel Espresso, Knockout Cold Brew, and Halftone Decaf, along with seasonal single-origin coffees. The bags were designed by longtime collaborator and designer Kay Wolfersperger, who was once a student of Jenkins’. Both the names of the coffees and the bags’ letterpress type design pay tribute to their shared passion for printmaking.
And it’s the aspect of the business — the creative — that Jenkins wants to do more of this year. The rollout of The Coffee Fox Roasting Co. across the cafes has already inspired her to rethink the type and other design elements displayed in each space. “I want to blow out the printmaking and design angle and keep seeing how we can add more design to our retail offerings,” she says. “I came into the industry from the arts, and they’ll always be at the core of what inspires me.”
Makes two 12-oz. cups of iced coffee Energize your day (and keep cool) with home-brewed iced coffee using The Coffee Fox Roasting Co. Knockout Cold Brew coffee, made using a Chemex coffeemaker and filter. This method, known as flash-brewing, offers the best way to extract the coffee’s flavor notes. The best part: It’s much faster than the typical, prolonged process of cold brewing.
48 g coarsely ground, of The Co ee Fox Roasting Co. Knockout Cold Brew Co ee 212 g ice 340 g water
Chemex co eemaker and filter
Timer
Spoon Scale
Water kettle
1. Set your Chemex filter in place, layering the three-fold section over the spout. Rinse thoroughly with hot water. Remove the filter and discard water. Place your Chemex on the scale and add 212 grams of ice. Replace the filter.
2. Fill the water kettle and heat to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Tare the scale and add 48 grams of coarsely ground coffee into the Chemex filter. Tare the scale again.
3. Start a timer and pour just enough water to saturate the bed of coffee grounds (roughly 96 grams of water). Let that rest for 30-45 seconds
ABOVE: The Coffee Fox Roasting Co. Knockout Cold Brew. Make it at home with the flash-brewing recipe at left.
BELOW: Fancy a hot cup of coffee or a decaf option? Check out the full lineup of The Coffee Fox Roasting Co. fresh brews in store or online at thecoffeefox.com
4. Pour water slowly in concentric circles, pausing occasionally to submerge all the coffee grounds in the water as you go with a spoon. The goal is to pour a total of 340 grams of water into the Chemex within about 3 minutes.
5. Once all the water has been added, give the wet grounds a shallow stir and let drain. The total brewing time should be about 5 minutes.
6. Remove the filter, and give the coffee a few good swirls to melt the remaining ice. Serve over ice and enjoy.
BRYAN KRULL, D.O.
WILLIAM G. GRUBB, M.D.
JAMES BAZEMORE, M.D. DANA KUMJIAN, M.D.REBECCA SENTMAN, M.D. ERIK D. BERNSTEIN, M.D.
Photo by Katie McGee
“We
Find tools and resources to help save money and energy. Georgia Power has energy-saving tips on everything from controlling airflow to adding weatherstripping. Plus you’ll have access to resources like online energy audits and My Power Usage to learn about your energy consumption. There are hundreds of simple ways for you to save energy – and saving energy means saving money. To learn more, visit georgiapower.com/save. ©2018 Georgia Power. All rights reserved.
5715 Skidaway Road | 912.355.3336 cohensretreat.com
OUR SPECIALTY: Our Crab Grit Cake has my mother’s and my tomato jam on it. It’s an homage to a crab cake. You have the crunch and warmth of the grit cake and then the true taste of crab. It might be the most delicious thing I’ve ever made. It’s never gone off the menu.
MY DREAM DINNER GUEST: My Dad passed away almost exactly a year ago after battling Alzheimer’s Disease. He was the nicest, most patient person I’ve ever met. I was jealous of how cool he was. He ate everything.
THE CHEF I MOST ADMIRE: José Andrés, a Spanish-American chef, restaurateur and founder of World Central Kitchen, is just an amazing person. His nonprofit is devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters.
MY LAST MEAL: Fried chicken with Crystal Hot Sauce.
PERFECT PAIRING: Coming into summer, our tomato pies go well with Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
I CAN’T COOK WITHOUT: Cast iron and butter are essential in my cooking and Southern cooking as a whole. You will always find them in my home kitchen as well as Cohen’s Retreat.
AT OUR PLACE: Expect the unexpected! Cohen’s Retreat has a unique vibe with an emphasis on art, food and community, making it a legendary experience.
14 Barnard St. | 912.233.2116 savannah.andaz.com
MY SPECIALTY: My 920 Cattle & Company Thick-Cut Pork Chop, a beautiful tomahawk pork chop sourced out of Statesboro. We pair that with sweet potato puree and local vegetables, whatever is delicious and fresh, and top it with house-made Georgia peach and thyme preserves.
I CAN’T COOK WITHOUT: Salt and butter. I have a range of salts with different crystalline shapes and mineral contents that affect food differently. As for butter, if you ask my team, they’ll tell you I use too much. I tell them they don’t use enough.
THE CHEF I MOST ADMIRE: Monsieur Boulanger provided restoratives to the general French population in the late 1700s when they needed it most – affordable, nutritious broths and soups to fuel them when they were in need. Without him, we would not have the restaurant industry we have today.
MY DREAM DINNER GUESTS: I would like to sit down with my late grandparents one more time as a family.
HOW I GOT MY START: When I was 14 or 15, I was supposed to be a concert
trumpet player. Instead, I started working in a little ravioli shop and factory on Long Island. I learned all about making fresh pastas and sauces. This sparked a passion in me.
MY LAST MEAL WOULD BE: A thick-cut milk-fed veal chop with caramelized Cippolini onions and balsamic reduction over creamy polenta and slow roasted San Marzano tomatoes.
MY INSPIRATION: Without my loving wife, Katie, I would not be the chef I am today. She pushes – or sometimes shoves – me in the right direction. am rate l or her sel ess s pport.
2600 Mechanics Ave., Thunderbolt 912.509.8053 finchessandwiches.shopsettings.com
OUR SIGNATURE DISH: Finches’ grilled cheese put us on the map. My recipe is simple with classic, quality ingredients like sourdough bread from Auspicious Baking Co. We’ve been told it’s the best grilled cheese on the East Coast. I’ll take it!
I CAN’T COOK WITHOUT: Music. A busy day in the kitchen goes a lot smoother with good tunes – whatever the genre. Hearing our musically inclined kitchen team sing along while you wait for your food puts a smile on everyone’s face.
A LOCAL FAVORITE: E-Tang Chinese restaurant is a weekly staple for when I don’t feel like cooking at home. It’s so authentic, and I love the texture, salt, spice and acid of Asian cuisine.
MY DREAM DINNER GUESTS: My three kids. My two sons are old enough to be out on their own, so a meal where everyone is together is rare. They make me laugh and love a good burger as much as I do.
309 W. Congress St. | 912.233.2111 aluresavannah.com
AT MY PLACE: We pride ourselves on elegant Lowcountry dining with outstanding service. Our wine list pairs great with our menu.
THE CHEF I MOST ADMIRE: Michael Symon’s style of cookin is always ele ant refined and tho ht l. He never seems stered and his resta rants are ea ti l.
MY LAST MEAL: t wo ld have to e a dish rom a.l re o r ra it ravioli is the est dish have had in a lon time.
MY FAVORITE INGREDIENTS: I do a lot of Italian cooking, and the com ination o resh tomatoes asil and sea ood is always a hit.
MY PERFECT PAIRING: A.lure's pea and carrot scallops o ea ti lly with a wonder l ora l ari o.
315 W. St. Julian St. | 912.233.2626 belfordssavannah.com
HOW I GOT STARTED: When I was 20, I started as a dishwasher at a barbecue place in Tennessee. I was extremely eager to learn and worked my way p to ecome pit master certified in st si years and lead line cook on open grill. I moved to Savannah in 2009, worked under various talented chefs and have now taken all that knowledge and experience to become the executive chef I am today.
AT MY PLACE: What motivates me most is seeing smiling faces after a meal that have st prepared or o r ests especially knowin that it is hard to please everyone. I’m proud that our kitchen team considers each other family because we work side-by-side, day in and day out.
OUR SIGNATURE DISH: Lobster Gnocchi, made with housemade gnocchi, fresh lobster, asparagus and heirloom tomatoes that pair per ectly with a rich creamy lo ster sa ce finished with parmesan. Decadent!
A Lowcountry dinner at Wormsloe connects community, Gullah-Geechee foodways and rich heirloom crops
Written by TIARA HODGES
IN GULLAH-GEECHEE FOOD CULTURE, one-pot cooking with a slow simmer is the common method of blending a variety of flavors and ingredients. In many ways, the March 11 dinner at Wormsloe was an expression of this method, with the coastal community gathered
in one location to celebrate the Lowcountry’s foodways and heirloom crops (vegetables and meat originating locally for generations), all while spotlighting Gullah-Geechee cuisine.
Sarah Ross, executive director of the UGA Center for Research and Education at Wormsloe (UGA-CREW), organized the event to highlight the rich agricultural history of the coastal region. She describes Lowcountry foodways as having emerged from the integration of several cultures, globally sourced ingredients and distinctive cooking techniques with culinary influences from Indigenous Americans, Europeans and Africans.
“Southern cuisine is truly a melting pot of ingredients and cultural influences,” Ross says. Lowcountry food incorporates old and new elements, creating a vibrant, culinary kaleidoscope in the South. And when Ross decided to organize a dinner party highlighting heirloom foods, she knew exactly who could help bring the event authentically to life. “I called local friends who are professional chefs as well as those who farm and harvest local seafood and fish.”
The Lowcountry dinner hosted 120 guests at the edge of Jones Creek at Wormsloe and featured Georgia musicians (Savannahian Patt Gunn and her Saltwata’ Players Gullah Geechee performing group) and, of course, local chefs preparing the heirloom-inspired menu, from Matthew Palmerlee’s lamb rillettes to Natasha Gaskill’s wood-oven-baked rice bread and profiteroles with whipped cream and strawberries.
Benjamin “BJ” Dennis, Gullah cultural bearer and head Chef for the evening, slow-roasted an heirloom pig alongside Chef Modou Jaiteh (of Lowcountry Fresh in Bluffton) that was provided by Marvin Ross of Peculiar Pig Farm, located in Dorchester, South Carolina, for the menu’s entree. The food was also prepared with the help of Chef Fatmata Binta based in Ghana.
“When we talk about Gullah-Geechee food, it’s about the freshness,” Dennis says. “In its truest form, it’s not coming out the can, or if it is, it’s out of a mason jar that was preserved by somebody locally.” Moreover, it’s very seasonal: “It’s from the farmer, from the land, from the sea,” Dennis says. The personal chef adds that he’s often at Wormsloe because he’s able to get seeds through Social Roots, Ross’s seed-saving project of heirloom cultivars. Through Social Roots and UGA-CREW, Ross grows about 500 varieties of heirloom vegetables alone each year.
“Heirloom produce is very important because it brings back a part of our culture that’s been lost,” Dennis explains. “The more we’ve gotten away from agrarian roots, for better or worse, the more that has been lost.
Dr. William “Doc Bill” Thomas, Sapelo and Geechee preservation advocate, was also in attendance and spoke to the dinner’s setting, in addition to the significance of the heirloom crops as they relate to Gullah-Geechee culture. “You could smell the aspects of the food before it was served,” Thomas says, referring in part to the dinner’s setting on the Intracoastal Waterway. The use of heirloom cultivars also provides a better perspective on what Gullah-Geechee people would’ve eaten hundreds of years ago. “The people you don’t see because they’re all gone, but at least you can get an idea of what the food tasted like,” Thomas says. “Whether it’s rice or vinay seeds, pork or Sea Island or Sapelo field peas, you get a rebirth of what the people tasted and how they cooked it.”
For Dennis, heirloom crops define local culture and history at once. “I think it’s important for us to reconnect with those values because that’s what our ancestors did. They did it because of survival and necessity, but that was part of our ancestor’s heritage as agrarian people.”
Wormsloe, like so many parts of Savannah and the larger South, contends with a painful past. The space, a former plantation, once had as many as 1,500 enslaved people working the fields and living close to the marsh at the edge of the plantation where this very dinner was held.
“For me personally, to be on old plantations where we’re there on our own accord, not forced, and we’re getting paid — if the ancestors’ spirits are still around there, they’re looking and saying ‘wow,’” Dennis says. “It’s probably their wildest dreams to see us in control as businesspeople and not subjected to servitude and enslavement.”
Indeed, the event provided an opportunity for attendees to reflect on the historical significance of the land while also creating new memories for the future, reviving and reinforcing our relationship with nature through foodways and farming, and reconnecting Southern heritage foodways with heirloom vegetables and the local farming landscape.
When it comes to honoring and reviving the area’s relationship with Gullah-Geechee culinary traditions, Thomas says people can begin by spending time on the land. “The land is the key thing,” he says, “because the land determines what you cook — and what you’re going to reflect upon.”
[Heirloom crops] give the real taste of the cultural foods and not the commodity crops and produce that we’re accustomed to.”Benjamin “BJ” Dennis Photography by SOMI BENSON-JAJA, SHOT BY SOMI STUDIOS
“Whether it’s rice or vinay seeds, pork or Sea Island or Sapelo field peas, you get a rebirth of what the people tasted and how they cooked it.”
— William “Doc Bill” Thomas, preservation advocate
have arrived. It’s hot, sure, but not too hot, and you might just feel compelled to enjoy your next meal alfresco. Instead of a more formal spread, reach for snacky, portable fare, pack up the car and head somewhere scenic. Options abound in Savannah. There’s Forsyth Park (we’re partial to a spot near the fountain), Tybee Island, Daffin Park and downtown squares, too.
To make it extra special, take a page from Rebekah Francois’s playbook. The owner of Scenic Siesta elevates a picnic by adding low-slung tables, poufs, pillows and blankets, plus candlesticks, platters, goblets, fabric napkins and fresh flowers — who says indoor items can’t come outside to play? Amid such idyllic scenery, nosh on simple, tasty foods that keep hunger at bay without being too messy. Translation: Clean hands (and shirts) for snapping plenty of Instagram-worthy pictures.
It doesn't get more summery than ceviche.
6 white-fleshed fish filets, such as swai, sole or flounder Juice of 5 limes
2 tbsp. olive oil
1½ tsp. garlic salt
1½ c. vinegar
Optional: chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro and jalapeños to taste Tostadas or corn chips, for serving
Chop the fish into small cubes, place in a large bowl and add all the ingredients together, adding chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro and jalapeños to your liking, if desired. Mix well, and rest in the fridge for 2 hours. Serve with tostadas or corn chips.
Spread it on sandwiches, serve it as a dip or eat it by the spoonful (we won’t tell).
2 sweet onions, peeled and sliced
2 shallots, peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Canola oil, as needed
2 c. sour cream
1c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tbsp. hot sauce of your choice
2 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. ground black pepper
In a sauté pan, combine the sliced sweet onions, shallots and garlic with the fresh thyme and bay leaves. Drizzle with canola oil and cook over medium heat,
stirring occasionally for about 10-15 minutes until the onions turn golden brown.
Meanwhile, place sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper in a large bowl and fold together using a rubber spatula. Set aside in the refrigerator.
Once the onions are caramelized (the darker the color, the richer the onion flavor), remove the pan from heat and cool the onion mixture completely. Once cooled, remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme. Transfer onions to a cutting board and finely chop. Add to the sour cream mixture and fold together until evenly distributed. Refrigerate until needed, and serve with potato chips or crudité.
A refreshing, low-calorie alternative to dessert.
2 lbs. frozen grapes (about one large bag)
Rinse the grapes for 30 seconds under cold water, rubbing gently. Remove any decaying grapes and remove and discard all stems. Place the clean, stemless grapes into Ziploc bags, and transfer to freezer. Freeze for at least eight hours, preferably overnight. Serve in plastic cups — or goblets, if you’re feeling fancy.
These spicy-sweet boiled peanuts are addictive.
5 lbs. green peanuts
3 c. Coca Cola
4 c. light beer
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 pod of star anise
1 c. cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. ground pepper
2 tbsp. chili flakes
2 jalapeños
¼ c. brown sugar
1 bouquet of thyme, bay leaf and parsley
½ c. salt, plus more as needed to taste
2 quarts of chicken stock or vegetable stock
In a large, heavy bottomed pot, combine all ingredients except for the bouquet and peanuts. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove pot from heat, then add peanuts and bouquet. Cover the pot with a large, inverted plate to weigh the ingredients down. Fill with water until it is 3/4 full. Return to medium heat, then simmer for at least five hours. Check the liquid occasionally, and if it gets low, add enough stock to keep the peanuts submerged. After five hours, check for doneness and add salt to taste.
Add this elevated dressing to your repertoire — it’s so much better than bottled.
1 c. red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1 shallot
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
Crushed red pepper, to taste
2½ c. canola oil
Combine red wine vinegar, garlic, shallot, salt and spices in a blender, and puree until smooth. With the blender still running, slowly add the canola oil. Taste and add additional seasonings, if desired.
Fresh blueberries add a colorful punch, while feta cheese brings welcome pungency to this simple summer salad.
Written by JESSICA LEIGH LEBOS
The Savannah Bee Co. founder reflects on 20 years of sweet success and a new HQ
“C’MON GIRLS, WATCH OUT,” murmurs Ted Dennard to the hundreds of honeybees crawling around the hive in the garden outside his office.
As he carefully eases out a wooden frame to reveal a heart-shaped hunk of beeswax, the founder of the Savannah Bee Co. coos to the busy laborers in a conspiratorial whisper: “I see you working hard in here.”
That Dennard speaks directly to the bees seems perfectly natural — after all, he’s had an intimate relationship with bees for more than half his life. Captivated as a teenager by the vital importance these pollinators play in our environment, he first discovered beekeeping thanks to his mentor, Roy Hightower. He shared those skills during a stint in the Peace Corps after college, then settled in Savannah in the late 1990s to spread the bee gospel, trading rent for honey on a space on Oatland Island to keep his apiaries and teach beekeeping classes.
“I think three people showed up to the first one, and one of them thought it was supposed to be a bookkeeping class so she left,” he recalls with a laugh.
After selling jars of Tupelo honey at a friend’s gift shop — the then-nascent local luxury vanguard One Fish Two Fish — for a few years, Dennard officially launched Savannah Bee Co. in 2002. By adding harvests culled from other beekeepers, he and his tiny team began producing a line of artisanal honeys, supplements and body products.
Walking through the labyrinthine 40-thousand-square-foot headquarters on Wilmington Island that SBC has occupied since 2008, Dennard points to a battered, 1970s-era Crockpot.
“That’s what I used to make the lip balms,” he says, shaking his head. “I never knew this was coming.”
“This” is the phenomenal success of his company, which grew in fits and starts at first but has gained steady traction under the purview of his former college roommate and COO, Richard Grayson. Along with selling wares at 14 gorgeously appointed retail locations around the country — including our own Broughton Street and River Street — Savannah Bee does a bustling e-commerce business that ships all over the world.
Boosted by a mention of the cleverly packaged Book of Honey as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things, overall production ballooned by 41 percent in 2021.
“It was a big leap,” says Dennard with a slow whistle. “Add in supply chain hell and COVID interruptions, and you can imagine what a crazy year it was.”
With the launch of a slew of new products, including Hot Honey and Honey Hot Sauce (Scotch bonnet and habanero peppers give just
the right amount of sting), SBC is also celebrating its 20th anniversary with buzz about another big move.
Like a bee colony that’s outgrown its hive, Dennard and his team are about to swarm to the other side of town. The 65-thousandsquare-foot building in West Savannah, formerly Savannah Soap, is being readied to house the company’s rapidly growing honey production, shipping and sales departments and enlarge its flagship retail showroom to 2,500 square feet (a hexagonal honeycomb design echoing throughout). An indoor/outdoor mead bar, kids’ area, food truck park and raised deck to host live music will offer plenty of reasons for customers to stop by and stay awhile.
Across the street from the new Enmarket Arena, the new facility will surely be an anchor for the forthcoming Canal District, as well as expand SBC’s educational reach. While all of its retail shops include interactive installations, the new “hive,” opening later this year, will feature a massive garden to learn about bees and their importance to our food systems and the planet.
“It’s going to raise the mission in a much bigger way,” says Dennard.
While the CEO obviously marks success with the financial numbers, it is the manifestation of its mission that really counts — to save the bees. Plagued by pesticides and other pollutants, bee colonies around the world have suffered collapse, their habitats under siege by encroaching development. Cultivating honeybee hives helps bees survive by providing shelter and protecting queens, and SBC folds in education about these enterprising pollinators at every level, from packaging to retail experience.
SBC also reflects the bees’ reliance on working together as a community. Proceeds from its Peace Honey benefit the Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club, which provides after-school activities, homework help and hot meals to Savannah youth. To further the idea that
Boosted by a mention of the cleverly packaged Book of Honey as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things, overall production ballooned by 41 percent in 2021.Photography
saving the bees is a worldwide endeavor, the company has engaged schoolchildren in beekeeping through its nonprofit Bee Cause Project, placing hives in more than 300 schools in all 50 states and four countries since 2013.
For Dennard, it all comes back to the bees. As he delicately replaces the frame back in the hive with an affectionate pat, he zeroes in on one free spirit still humming lazily at a bright red bottlebrush.
“Did you know that every bee colony visits over five hundred million flowers a year?” he asks, shaking his head with incredulity. “It just never gets old.”
Pro tip:
Love feta cheese with your watermelon? We do, too. Just crumble a bit over this dish before serving.
Pretty and refreshing — just add mead for a boozy kick. S erves 3
1 c. Savannah Bee Company honey of your choice
Savannah Bee Company Raw Honeycomb, plus extra for garnish
½ lemon sliced into thin wedges
3 c. freshly squeezed lemonade
3 c. mead, such as Monk’s Mead (optional)
In a small saucepan over low heat, stir together the honey and 2 cups water until honey has dissolved. Set aside to cool. Using a silicone ice tray with large openings (we used a tray that makes large bourbon sized square ice cubes), cut pieces of the raw honeycomb and add to each opening of the tray, making sure to push some onto the sides and bottom. Fill each opening with the cooled honey simple syrup. Freeze, preferably overnight.
To serve, layer a rocks glass with honeycomb ice cubes and lemon slices. Top with all lemonade or equal parts lemonade and mead. Garnish with raw honeycomb.
Summertime in every bite. S erves 2
8 (1-inch) slices of fresh watermelon, room temperature 3 tbsp. avocado oil, divided 2 tbsp. Savannah Bee Company Hot Honey 2 limes, 1 cut into wedges and the other cut in half
Flaky sea salt
½ lemon sliced into thin wedges
Heat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to high. Brush watermelon slices with oil and place on hot grill. Grill (without turning) until grill marks are nice and charred on the watermelon, and remove from heat. To serve, drizzle the remaining oil, honey and juice from the two halves of lime over the grilled slices. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.
Sweet honey-soy glaze enhances the natural flavors of vibrant and tender bok choy.
S erves 4 to 6
2 tbsp. Savannah Bee Company Wildflower Honey
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. hoisin
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. rice vinegar
2 bok choy, cut in half lengthwise
Cooking spray
Stir together the honey, soy sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, and vinegar. Set aside half of the glaze for serving. Next, Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Coat the bok choy with cooking spray. Place on the grill, cut sides down. Grill 2 minutes. Turn and brush with the glaze. Grill 2 to 3 minutes longer or until the bok choy is crisp-tender. Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with the reserved glaze.
Pro tip: Keep it extra local with pork from Whippoorwill Farms, available at Forsyth Farmers' Market.
These subtly spicy burgers use hot honey on both the patty and the buns. Grilled pineapple adds Polynesian flair (and flavor).
S erves 4
1½ lbs. ground pork
1 tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 c. mayonnaise
5 tbsp. Savannah Bee Company Hot Honey, divided
4 slices fresh pineapple
4 slices red onion
4 brioche buns, split and toasted
4 leaves green leaf lettuce
Combine the pork, mustard, garlic powder, and soy sauce in a medium bowl. Shape the mixture into 4 patties. Season with salt and pepper. Next, Stir together the mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon hot honey. Set aside.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill the burgers 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until done, basting with the remaining ¼ cup hot honey as they cook. Grill the pineapple and onion 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until the pineapple is charred and the onion is tender.
To serve, spread the mayonnaise on the cut sides of the buns. Top the bottom buns with the burgers, lettuce, pineapple and onion. Drizzle honey over and replace the bun tops.
These one-bowl cupcakes add a touch of honey-kissed sweetness from orange blossom honey.
S erves 12
For the cupcakes:
2 large eggs
½ c. granulated sugar
½ c. Savannah Bee Company Orange Blossom Honey
½ c. vegetable oil
½ c. whole buttermilk
1½ c. all-purpose flour
1¼ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
For the frosting:
¼ c. salted butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2½ c. powdered sugar
3 tbsp. Savannah Bee Company
Orange Blossom Honey, plus more for drizzling
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1½ c. all-purpose flour
Pink food coloring (optional) Edible flowers; we used orange blossoms (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, honey, oil and buttermilk in a large bowl. Add the flour, baking powder and vanilla extract. Divide batter evenly between the paper liners. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, honey, and vanilla. Tint with pink food coloring, if desired. Spread or pipe the frosting onto the tops of the cooled cupcakes. Drizzle with additional honey, and garnish with edible flowers, if desired.
FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS we didn’t see the lower half of people’s faces. We weren’t able to offer that awkward half-smile when passing someone on the street or in the hall, and the only time we saw extended family, friends, classmates and coworkers was when we also saw ourselves reflected in the Zoom window display. This has caused a sea change, or maybe a “see” change.
“A lot of people are being a little bit more proactive about correcting things like crowding, discolored teeth, and that sort of thing, because they really were seeing it on a more regular basis than just their photos or smiling in the mirror after they brush their teeth in the morning,” says Dr. Stephanie Sweeney of Savannah Dental.
While I haven’t experienced this personally, I do know someone close to me who has — my mom, Konnadi Dhatnubia. A transit contract specialist who began her new job in the middle of the pandemic, she would spend 30 minutes before a meeting in the Zoom preview screen, adjusting the way she sat to minimize exposure of her teeth’s imperfections. “I would watch people’s faces, like, ‘OK, when I’m talking, are their eyes looking where my eyes are, or are they looking toward my mouth?’” she recalls. Seeing herself on video was one of many factors that played a significant role in her decision to overcome her odontophobia and begin her dental rejuvenation journey.
quite a bit and use those extra funds for the three root canals she needed. Sweeney saw comparable situations with her own patients. “I had a lot of patients just mention in general that their travel plans were canceled,” she says. “They would mention it, like, ‘Well, since I’m not going to Europe, and I’ve been wanting to get Invisalign for a while, I think that we should just do that.’” Similarly, Dr. Jenni Moseley at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry found that although the pandemic upended many aspects of life, the demand for a better-looking smile remained intact. “After the lockdown period, the level of dentistry we offer continued unaffected,” Moseley says.
When the pandemic began, Dhatnubia was grateful for the mask. Behind it, she was able to hide her imperfections and fully be herself with complete strangers. However, she knew she wouldn’t be able to hide behind the mask forever. This revelation, as well as the onset of severe tooth and mouth pain, motivated her to finally set a date for her initial consultation. “[During] the very first appointment, I was just very, very emotional. I cried during the whole orientation. I was shook,” she says. The news was ultimately good, though, and her dental issues were not as bad as what she had anticipated. “That’s why I was able to start the process,” she says.
She felt assured in her decision because lockdown limited the amount of her household’s recreational spending (which can get expensive as a wife and mother of five). This allowed her to save
Whether it was because of canceled travel plans, overcoming past fears, or seeing an unwelcome reflection in a Zoom screen, Dhatnubia and Sweeney agree that masks made us realize how important smiles are. For Dhatnubia, a smile means confidence, friendliness and joy. “People would say that you could tell by someone’s eyes if they’re smiling, but I don’t think you could tell that from everyone,” she says. “If you’re smiling really big, then yeah, but if you’re just doing a smile of ‘Hey, it’s okay to [pass] my direction,’ you really wouldn’t be able to tell by someone’s eyes.”
With loosening mask mandates, more and more smiles will be on display again. From Invisalign and teeth whitening to veneers and dental lasers, which can stimulate collagen production for naturally fuller lips, the demand for cosmetic dentistry will likely continue, says Sweeney, particularly because she doesn’t see the use of Zoom diminishing any time soon. “After having half of our faces covered up for so long, people are thinking, ‘Now that people are really seeing me again, I want them to see a different version of me,’” she says, “a better version of me.’”
“After having half of our faces covered up for so long, people are thinking, ‘Now that people are really seeing me again, I want them to see a different version of me — a better version of me.”
— Dr. Stephanie Sweeney, Savannah Dental
How three local women in business pay it forward
ONE OF THE DEFINING STORIES of the 20th century was the gradual immersion of women into the labor pool. In the early 1900s, they were just dipping their toes in. With advances in technology and safety, mass high school education, and World War II — when women showed they could take on jobs that had never before been available to them — many more began to wade in. Then came the decade when our mothers and grandmothers (and cool aunts) used all their might to swim against the tide: the 1960s. Because of them, by 1970, young women were diving in.
Half a century later, women have demonstrated tremendous focus, drive, dedication and gumption in the workforce. Many who have reached the apex of their fields readily serve in positions designed to help others thrive, feeling a strong compulsion to help other women succeed. Locally, businesswomen in Savannah encourage, mentor and support one another in extraordinary, tireless ways. They are here to give back, and perhaps none more so than Allyson Harvin, chair of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce; Jaclyn Schott, executive director of the Savannah Downtown Business Association; and Michelle Rouzer, the president of Buy Local Savannah.
For Harvin, who purchased SERVPRO of Savannah in 2007 with her husband, Blu, helping people literally became her business. “We show up on what is often the worst day in someone’s business or home,” Harving says, noting that SERVPRO cleans up after disasters like fires and storms. “Being able to walk people through the process of, ‘It’s okay, we know what to do’ is very rewarding.”
Soon after becoming a business owner, Harvin saw “a great deal of value” in joining the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, an organization that seeks to create business-friendly environments for commerce. Through her involvement with the Chamber, Harvin has become enmeshed in the Savannah business community and the community at large. Today, she’s the organization’s sitting chairperson, and her communication and leadership with a servant mentality have allowed her to be useful in such a role.
“At this level, the women in business in this area have been so generous with their influence, introductions and support,” she says. “I look for opportunities to find someone else to pour into, to bring along, to make introductions for, to give opportunities to. Women helping other women is incredibly important.”
While her ability to truly listen — a carryover from her position at SERVPRO — has helped her help others, Harvin recognizes the challenges small business owners face in playing a larger role in local organizations such as the Chamber. “Small business owners wear a lot of hats,” she says, “but it’s still important to get out into the larger business community and serve, bring your expertise to the table and mentor this next generation of leaders.”
“I look for opportunities to find someone else to pour into, to bring along, to make introductions for, to give opportunities to. Women helping other women is incredibly important.”
— Allyson Harvin
Jaclyn Schott, who has lived and worked in Savannah for 17 years, mostly in the downtown tourism and hospitality industry, would say the same.
“My schooling was in public relations, marketing and communications. So the majority of my time has been spent in the PR space within that industry – until now!” she says.
Schott’s marketing and communications background “was part of why the Savannah Downtown Business Association ultimately hired me to become its executive director. As the sole staff person, communication is so key.” Marketing was also a big piece of that, she says, of “having to be the employee who also markets the organization, both internally and to the business community at large.”
The mission of the Savannah DBA is to advocate for a more prosperous downtown business community. Schott’s job includes “anything from day-to-day operations to the strategic planning and guidance of the direction for the organization.” Planning networking events, planning for the board of directors and executive committee meetings, running those meetings and working alongside the board to develop programs and initiatives that fit within the DBA’s mission are all in a day’s work.
Although the position keeps her on her toes, Schott sees it as a privilege to work with many of the contacts she’s known for so long. It’s a joy, she says, “to be able to serve them in this capacity and help ensure that there is an organization with one strong, cohesive voice to advocate on behalf of all industries and issues that affect downtown Savannah.”
One of Schott’s favorite things about her job is being able to walk around downtown, pop into a small business and talk with the owner directly.
“I meet so many women especially,” she says. “I don't have data to back it up, but I feel like there has been an influx of women-owned businesses, specifically downtown, and it’s been great to see. It’s been exciting for me, and I think it’s exciting for us as women to see that.”
“It’s a joy to be able to serve [the business community] in this capacity and help ensure that there is an organization with one strong, cohesive voice to advocate on behalf of all industries and issues that affect downtown Savannah.” — Jaclyn SchottJaclyn Schott, executive Director of the Savannah Downtown Business Association
Michelle Rouzer, the president of Buy Local Savannah, is an example of one of those women. She opened 40 Volume Salon in 2008 and by last year, “we were busting at the seams in our old location.” The new midtown salon now houses 55 employees. Rouzer and her husband, Charlie, also kept their original space on Waters Avenue and turned it into an old-school barbershop, AV8 Barbers.
“Being a hairstylist, you just become that person who can never meet a stranger,” Rouzer says, laughing. “I’m a lover of people, and I was already the person connecting my clients with local businesses.” Although she no longer cuts hair, that warm personality and affinity for connecting people led to her involvement and leadership roles in Buy Local, which was founded in 1999 by a core group of local business owners.
“Over the last 23 years, it’s grown into an incredible organization, with roughly 150 members currently. It’s a networking group, but it's truly become the biggest, most supportive family you could ever ask for,” Rouzer says. “We want to be the resource for any need you could possibly have in Savannah, because the more we work together and support each other — support local — the better we all can be.”
As president, Rouzer’s job is to lead the team of board members and support the organization as a whole. “My vision for 2022 is engagement: To really be there to engage with our members and encourage them to work and collaborate together, and to support each other at
things like events and openings now that we’re able to be face-to-face again.”
Rouzer has helped to guide other women along the way with know-how and connections, “whether it’s been an employee wanting to branch off on their own or someone wanting to open a business in Savannah.” Her background in real estate (she and her husband also own Rouzer Property Consultants) has also been instrumental in this area.
“It’s so important for women in business to stick together. My weaknesses are someone else’s strengths, and someone else’s weaknesses are my strengths,” she says. She sums it up in a way that’s proven true for women in the workforce since the 1960s: “When we combine forces, we can create a real impact.”
Women have demonstrated tremendous focus, drive, dedication and gumption in the workforce. Many who have reached the apex of their fields readily serve in positions designed to help others thrive, feeling a strong compulsion to help other women succeed.Michelle Rouzer, president of Buy Local Savannah and owner of 40 Volume Salon and AV8 Barbers
Savannah’s leading ladies are setting the pace in everything from banking and beauty to real estate and retail. Read on to meet the female entrepreneurs and executives who are propelling Savannah forward.
Photography by KELLI BOYD, SAMANTHA BYRD, ELEVATED PRODUCTIONS, CHRISTINE HALL, ANGELA HOPPER, SARAH KOHUT, KATHERINE IVES, M.KAT PHOTOGRAPHY, AMIA MARCELL, KATIE M c GEE, KEITH MORGAN, ALE SANTANA & SHOT BY SOMI STUDIOS
The Bull Street Light Room 186
Carriage Trade Public Relations Inc 178
Clarity for High Performance LLC 135
Coastal Ear, Nose & Throat LLC 158
Coldwell Banker Access Realty 156
Crowned Elite Athletics 191
Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty 130-131
Dogtopia of Thunderbolt 179
Dozier Real Estate Brokered by Exp Realty LLC 134
Edible Arrangements 136
Emily McCarthy + Co 138
Engel & Völkers Savannah 144
Everard Auctions and Appraisals 179
Fiduciary EDGE Advisors LLC 125
Finches Sandwiches and Sundries 180
Forsight Unique Eye Care & Eye Wear 180
Full Bloom Salon & Dry Bar 190
Georgia Eye Institute 137
Glow Medical Spa and Beauty Boutique 143
Goodwill Southeast Georgia 142
Great Oaks Bank 145
Hancock Askew & Co 146
Heather Murphy Group — Keller Williams Realty 182
The Heritage Bank 155
Image Is Everything Nail Bar 175
J Parker Ltd 147
Kati Ann Wright, Realty One Group Inclusion 176
The Landings Company Real Estate 126-127
The Leadership Center 148
Lesley Francis PR 149
Lime and Lemon 167
Low Country Dermatology 150
Lowcountry Foundation Repair 172
Luxury Living Savannah 122
Marsh & Co 183
Meyer & Sayers LLP 177
The Mint Green Tag Sale Company 184
MM Johnson CPA 184
Morgan Rae Boutique 185
National Association of Women in Construction 151
New Yoga Now 152
Origin Coffee Bar 153
Painted Sky Studio 189
Pride Pools, Spas and Leisure Products 185
The Printed Peach 167
Realty One Group Inclusion 140-141
Refine Savannah 157
Salon Della Vita 174
Samantha Byrd Photography 181
Savannah Behavioral Pediatrics 186
Savannah Blinds Shutters and Shades 159
Savannah Dental 133
Savannah Endocrinology LLC 181
Savannah Family Eye Care 176
Savannah Magazine 160
Savannah Plastic Surgery 161
Savannah Seafood Shack 188
Savannah Square Senior Living 187
Schuman Signature Realty 154
Sherry’s Honey Pot Fabric 191
SMG Advertising + Film 165
Sound View Wealth Advisors LLC 163
The Spa at A3 166
State Farm Agency — Erica Timmons 187
Stephanie Hoey Interiors 170
StoneLords (Art, Apparel and Design Studio) 188
Swanson Signature Events 171
TC Federal Bank 190
Thompson Chiropractic & Wellness Center 162
Tidewater Landscape Management Inc 168
Tims Bikes, Beach & Disc Golf 189
UB Henna & Co 182
Wax and Wane Waxing Salon 169
MY MISSION: as Savannah’s oldest vacation rental management company is not only to deliver the highest occupancy rates for our clients with properties in Savannah and on Tybee Island but also to take great care of their valuable asset – the real estate itself. By owning a boutique vacation rental company for 20 years, I have the privilege of being selective of the properties I want to manage. The properties must meet the uncompromising quality standard to be called “Luxury.” I treat every property as if it were my own. My clients become my friends, and their properties become my children.
MY MOTTO: is work hard and travel often.
BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: was from my mother, who had an eighthgrade education. She said that education,
hard work and taking risks will lead you to success, and that will give you independence, options and power.
YOU’D NEVER GUESS THAT: I salsa dance.
I’M THANKFUL FOR: the amazing team of women who run Luxury Living Savannah. We are a 100 percent women-run company. I am blessed to have worked with some of our ladies for nearly 20 years, and our low staff turnover results in a high level of consistent service to our clients.
I’M PROUD OF: the amazing young man my son, Robby, has become. While embracing the challenging job of raising a son as a single working mom, I tried to set a positive example of hard work and how to navigate life with a good moral compass.
OUR PURPOSE: is to be the bank that is here to help our community build for the future. With a full range of services, our clients have more than a place to store their money – they have a partner invested in their future.
OUR CLIENTS CHOOSE US BECAUSE: we are a leading community bank serving our area and giving our clients a seamless experience. Although BankSouth and BankSouth Mortgage are two separate legal entities, our commitment to serving o r c stomers is nified. hen a ank and a mortgage company become partners, everyone – especially our customers – get stronger. For us, it is all about relationships!
WE STAY INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITY: y ein active s pporters o area nonprofits.
Not only are we proud to bank many leadin nonprofits in o r area t we are also committed to giving back through our team’s volunteer efforts. We are involved with nonprofit or ani ations schools and pro essional or ani ations that are makin a difference in the lives of people throughout our community.
WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: have the same commitment to their community, their customers, their family and friends that we do every day.
THE LATEST IN BANKING: We are continuously investing in digital technology and platforms that better enable us to redefine the ankin e perience or o r customers, bringing the bank to them wherever and whenever they need it.
ASHLEY BROOKE PROPERTIES 912.272.7575 329 Commercial Drive, Ste. 100 ashleybrookeproperties.com
MY CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: I am incredibly passionate about my work, my clients, my city, and selling the Southern lifestyle.
MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: that I have a political science degree from the University of Georgia. My experience gives me an edge in this business. I am able to gather and analyze data at a higher level, a huge advantage to my clients.
ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME: that agent relationships are absolutely crucial to the success of my clients. Having a rep tation o ein di fic lt to work with can be detrimental to winning an offer. I go out of my way to create a pleasant experience for everyone involved, while maintaining the a ility to fiercely ne otiate or my clients.
MY LOCAL HEROINE IS: my mother, Gail. Thirty years ago, she left her dental hygiene career and started Palmetto Dental Personnel in order to be more present for my brother and I. She never missed a dance recital, a volleyball game or a softball practice. When I met my husband, I knew I wanted a career that would afford my children the same opportunity. I am grateful for having a strong, hard-working and loving mother to look up to.
MY CLIENTS APPRECIATE: my innate talent for design and marketing, which helps both my buying and selling clients. I am able to drive my listings to the top of a buyer’s interest list and often get sellers a higher return in less time. For my buyers, I have an eye for seeing the potential and crafting a vision. This allows my buyers to consider properties that others may pass over.
MY MISSION: is to smooth the road to and through retirementand make a positive impact on our clients and their family’s lives.
MY MOTTO: is err on the side of kindness.
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: have a peaceful inner joy and are generous with their time and talents.
MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE: are my Economist and Wall Street Journal subscriptions, my calculator and space heater it s always ree in in my o fice .
I’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT: it is wise to listen more closely to that little voice inside.
I LEAD BY: educating.
YOU’D NEVER GUESS THAT: I lived in Isfahan, Iran, and am one of nine children.
I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: not make decisions out of fear.
WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: I enjoy cooking for my family and guests, gardening, painting, walking around beautiful Savannah and hanging out with my Portuguese Water Dogs, Bruno and Romeo.
I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: serving on boards like Step Up Savannah, financially s pportin ca ses like the Food Bank and Court Appointed Special Advocates, which lifts up the most vulnerable in society, and providing education on strate ies or creatin financial wellness.
Standing,
Sitting, from left: Linda Novack, Gail Toler, Susan Connelly, Pat Ewaldsen, Ginna Carroll, Ashley Gold, Katie Hart, Skyler Frazier, Wendy Reed, Amy Blevins; not pictured: Candice Parsons and Peggy Utley
OUR MISSION: is to strive to be the leading real estate company at The Landings and to always exceed our clients’ expectations.
WE BELIEVE: that there’s nothing more exciting than meeting new people, hearing their stories and helpin them find the per ect home.
THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: is the philosophy that being good neighbors creates good business. As Realtors, we know that relationships always come first whether c ltivatin new siness or takin care o lon time clients and riends. At The Landings Company, we all work to be great Savannah neighbors. We support and sponsor local initiatives that help the Savannah comm nity. he nited ay o the oastal Empire, The Landings Landlovers, The Club Car Championship, Savannah Challenger and
iwanis l o kidaway are st a ew o the initiatives we lend our support to – because that s st what ood nei h ors do.
WE ARE PROUD TO BE: a ro p o pro essional and distin ished siness women who are e perts in all aspects o he Landings community, including its real estate, li estyle and world class resort style amenities. We know The Landings better than anyone because it’s the only community that we represent and most o s are ort nate enough to call it home. We are as vibrant as the comm nity and li estyle that we represent.
WE CHOOSE TO WORK HERE BECAUSE: we are passionate about marketing a comm nity that o ers e ceptional real estate and a tremendo s li estyle com ined with a small town eel within a ea ti l ntracoastal
Waterway community. The mission, advanced marketing strategies and investment by The Landings Company in attracting buyers and supporting our sellers provides excellent partnerin opport nities or o r team.
WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: are authentic, nny smart kind women and who are all our sisters, mothers, daughters, aunts, randmothers and reat randmothers. eal state is a women centric siness and we’re proud to represent!
WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: o r amilies o r riends and o r phones.
BUSINESS ADVICE WE LIVE BY: “Far and away the est pri e that li e o ers is the chance to work hard at work worth doin . – Theodore Roosevelt
MY MISSION: is to empower women –one tan at a time!
MY MOTTO: is if you’re not making mistakes, you’re not taking risks, and that means you’re not going anywhere. The key is to make mistakes faster than the competition, so you have more chances to learn from and win.
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: go with their gut and trust themselves. I think it’s a mistake when women do not take risks nor go against the traditional norms of conformity. I say, let’s own who we are individually because that is where we find o r stren th.
I’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT: I know what is best for my business. Yes, I ask a lot of questions, but ultimately I know what is the right answer for BEETTAN.
MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION IS: an early mother who is still uncovering how strong I can become.
THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I RECEIVED: was do not follow where the path may lead, go where there is no path and leave a trail.
LEADERSHIP IS: not a person nor a position. It is a relationship between people based on trust, obligation, commitment, emotion and a shared vision of the good.
YOU’D NEVER GUESS THAT: I had a beet tattooed on my shoulder long before I knew that I would have a product made from beets. My son loved beets as a toddler, and years ago I put a heart-shaped beet there for him.
–Answers provided by Michelle M. Peth, owner
OUR MISSION: is to be corporate storytellers who help build strong regional brands through creative content and innovative executive counsel. Our mission is to maintain strong relationships with our clients, vendors, the media and the communities we serve. Abshire PR continues to feel blessed beyond measure as we celebrate being in business for more than two decades!
WE ADMIRE: small business owners and their nimble teams who keep working tirelessly to keep their businesses moving forward.
ON A TYPICAL DAY, WE ARE: shooting video and photography, developing strategic plans with clients, creating unique content, organizing company events, calling media, doing online research,
organizing databases and volunteering pro ono or many o o r nonprofit organizations. We hit the ground running each day working hard to hustle for the company we keep. We remain grateful for being able to do such great work with so many area businesses who trust our team.
WE CONTINUE TO: grow! Shannon Phillips was recently promoted to vice president, and Abshire PR just hired Savannah native Caroline Holden as director of business development.
THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: Keep it authentic. Create strong professional relationships built on trust and integrity. Stay humble and grateful. Over deliver and write lots of thank you notes!
Back
Front
Not
OUR MISSION: is to provide unmatched real estate service along the Lowcountry coast. In November 2021, Celia Dunn Sotheby’s International Realty merged with Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty. Our shared commitment to high ethical and professional standards made the partnership an ideal fit. ow nder the aniel avenel Sotheby’s International Realty name, our clients enefit rom an e panded reach p the coastline to Charleston, South Carolina. e are pro d to e a l ry rokera e firm not only because we represent some of the finest homes in the area t also eca se we treat each listing with the same elevated care. ter all tr e l ry is a level o service not a price point.
THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: is following the Golden Rule –
to treat others as you wish to be treated. The business of real estate is, at its core, the business of relationships. Prioritizing and cultivating relationships involves treating everyone – clients, associates, other agents – with integrity, consideration and respect. Furthering this culture in the Savannah business community strengthens all of our opportunities for success and, ultimately, makes o r work more lfillin . ter years in the avannah real estate ind stry we know shortcuts might get you where you want to o ickly t lon term achievement is ilt on a o ndation o kindness and inte rity.
THE LOCAL WOMAN WE MOST ADMIRE: would, of course, be Celia Dunn. Despite the merger and name change, she is still very m ch an active part o o r rokera e firm. Without her trailblazing, many of us would
not be where we are today. Her passion for helping others and her drive to build a business with honesty and compassion created a firm that ali ned per ectly with the core values of Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty of Charleston. Celia’s vision and perseverance have allowed us to o er o r l ry level o service to a lar er area, successfully helping even more people with their real estate needs.
WE ARE EXCITED TO: move o r o fice to a larger space just across Madison are ena lin o r rowin firm to better support our agents, which in turn will better serve our clients. We have enjoyed the historic setting of our current o fice t we are ready to shake thin s up and create a new, collaborative space or today s work environment.
WE ARE YOUR: Forever Agent! Real estate is more than a transaction; it’s a relationship. We represent real people with big dreams and different realities, not just as agents, but as partners and trusted advisors – from the first home to the last home and everythin in between.
OUR NETWORK: Spans the globe. We are e perts in the owco ntry. e also work seamlessly with o r vast network o HH o fices aro nd the lo e. e can connect yo with the ri ht a ent no matter where yo are movin .
WHEN OUR NAME GOES ON A REAL ESTATE SIGN: It means something. It’s a promise o tr st inte rity sta ility lon evity and the hi hest standards o work. e do not take that promise li htly. hat s why yo ll see
these val es re ected in every o fice every a ent every interaction.
THE MOST COMMON QUESTION WE RECEIVE IS: Are we headed for a real estate crash? No. We’re sitting in a market that is completely a o t s pply and demand. Current values are what the market has commanded and that s what yers are payin . n the comin years the market may level and correct in a few places, but we’re not in for a catastrophic crash.
FUN FACT: Home prices rose percent d rin in the ore o ic Home rice Index, the largest annual gain recorded in its year history. he avera e homeowner s e ity has rown y d rin the last months.
MY MISSION: is to give people the confidence to smile. smile p ts others at ease and smilin releases ne ropeptides to help fi ht o stress and make yo eel ood. l s yo r smile is conta io s ca sin others to nconscio sly smile and et those ne ropeptide e ects too
IF A PERSON ISN’T HAPPY WITH THEIR SMILE: then they won t share it with the world.
I WANT OUR TEAM: to en oy their time in the o fice and o home smilin e cited a o t the ood they did or others and each other.
MY LOCAL HEROINE: is r. riana mos. he is s ch an ama in leader with an e tremely hi h emotional allowin her to easily connect with oth patients and o r team. rin the past year she has created a stron
ond with o r team p shin not only hersel t also o r team to row and develop as individ als and as a team. he has s ch a passion or dentistry and have never seen her rin anythin t her est to the o fice each day.
YOU’D NEVER GUESS THAT: love to s r and travel to s r . ltho h do s r at y ee wo ld m ch pre er to travel to i er and lon er waves. y avorite s r spots are on the acific oast o e ico and l alvador. ltho h a head hi h wave is my avorite si ed s r ve s r ed waves as i as eet
I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: my team. his ama in ly talented ro p o women and even a ew men make every day at the o fice s per n
MY MOTTO: is to bring value, period. I don’t want my clients spending time or stressing out doing things we could be managing for them, and we owe it to them to bring databacked expertise and advice to them every step of the way. If we’re not bringing them value and making their lives easier, we’re not doing our job to the best of our ability.
OUR CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH US BECAUSE: we are deeply committed to understanding their goals and needs and then o r team sets o t to lfill them. We don’t stop when the transaction is over; we stop when our client is settled and happy. We strive to manage every detail and anticipate every need along the way.
MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN THAT: I started Dozier Real
Estate when I was three months pregnant! Starting a business as a new mom is no easy feat, but it’s allowed me to connect in a very genuine way with the clients I serve. I’m a real person looking to better myself and my family, just like every other woman or mom out there chasing her dreams and seeking to make a house a home. Becoming a mother has made me the best, most hardworking version of myself and puts into perspective for me what life is really about.
I’M MOST PROUD OF: my incredible team and o r roles first and oremost as wives and mothers. We are real women excited to use our talent and our careers to contribute to our communities and enrich our families every day, and there’s honor in that.
MY MISSION: is to help high-performing women ain clarity and confidence to e ceed their goals. I provide high-level coaching in the areas of personal branding, career transitions, leadership development and overcoming mindset blocks like the impostor syndrome. As a result, my clients are able to break the cycles of being overwhelmed or having a lack of focus and instead gain greater impact and income.
I WISH MORE WOMEN: knew just how uniquely brilliant they are. Your differences are your competitive edge in your work and life. So many women put their entire focus on their work and on others. They often lose their identity in the process. Getting clear on who you are and what you want is a gamechanger! It is the gateway to authenticity, reater s ccess reedom and lfillment.
I ALSO HELP: organizations develop their brilliant leaders. Leaders don’t come off of a conveyor belt. My focus is on helping leaders holistically develop a strong personal brand to lfill their or ani ation s mission and oals.
MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: is researcher and cheerleader. I love tailoring my coaching, trainings and speeches to bring the greatest impact, aha moments and positive change for my clients. I love to cheer them on to their goals.
PEOPLE HIRE ME BECAUSE: I’m trustworthy, confidential knowled ea le and ener i in .
WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: I’m enjoying a meal at The Vault Kitchen & Market, hanging out in a bookstore or plannin my ne t e c rsion.
SOME OF THE BEST ADVICE I’VE EVER RECEIVED: is make the day; don’t let the day make you. Surround yourself with the right people. Give more than you expect to receive. Leave your comfort zone. Treat people with kindness and show them your light.
I’M THANKFUL FOR: my children and my family for supporting me and allowing me to follow my dreams. The sky’s the limit with the right team behind you.
MY PERFECT DAY IN SAVANNAH: includes brunch at The Collins Quarter, a stroll through the beautiful squares, shopping at my favorite local shops, a cocktail at a gorgeous rooftop bar, an early dinner of raw oysters and seafood and then a sunset cruise on the boat with my family. You can’t beat the Lowcountry lifestyle!
YOUR BUSINESS HAS TO: stay relevant and grow with demands. We’ve all witnessed that more than ever through the pandemic. The corporate world doesn’t talk much about how we remain relevant and not compromise who we are. Treat your customers like family, communicate well and strategically plan for change and growth. The only constant in the world is change.
MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: that even though I have a business and small children, I’ve challenged myself to go back to school and pursue another degree in biology with a minor in Spanish. With the right mindset and ambition, you can do anything you want in this life. You’re never too old to continue your education. I also enjoy learning survival skills in case of an apocalypse.
MY MISSION: is to find a alance etween ein the est mom wi e and doctor that can e. t s not easy – Bromley
MY MOTTO: is to treat all patients as i they are honored ests. – Piros
ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME: that thin s are never ite as ood or as ad as they seem. – Bromley
WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: re stron on the o tside and marshmallows on the inside. – Piros re stron confident and independent. – Bromley
MY REAL JOB: is a workin mother er driver and sched lin master – Bromley
MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE: re my ama in sta and my sense o h mor. – Piros y sta o r ama in s r ery center and my partners. – Bromley
THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I RECEIVED: is a ote rom aya n elo o the est yo can ntil yo know etter. hen when yo know etter do etter. – Bromley
WHEN I AM NOT IN THE OFFICE: am spendin time with my amily. y three children are all very active so we are constantly on the o. – Bromley
I AM MOST THANKFUL FOR: my ama in sta oth in the clinic and in the s r ery center and o vio sly my amily. – Bromley
MY MISSION: is to invite joy into our customers’ lives through gift-giving, entertaining and style. We carefully curate and design a lifestyle brand to support our mission.
MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: is being a mother of two, so my real job involves supporting their many sports and hobbies. I’m lucky to have an amazing team that allows me to also focus on being a mom. My husband and I incorporate them into our businesses whenever possi le. o ll find a ew pieces of clothing inspired by my children’s style as well as a section of the Shoppe curated by my daughter, Lillian.
I LEAD BY: supporting other women and their endeavors. I try to inspire others to
push themselves to follow their aspirations, no matter how busy life may seem. There is always time to do something that you love; it’s all about time management.
I’M THANKFUL FOR: my amazing family and team. Without them, this journey would not be possible. We are all better with a village!
BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: was from my grandmother, Lil, who said, “What’s for you won’t pass you by.”
I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: have both amazing careers and be very involved mothers. Too many women feel like they have to choose one or the other. I believe that I’m showing my children what it’s like to follow your dreams, which is the best lesson I can teach them.
OUR MISSION: is to improve a patient’s quality of life by improving their hearing health and addressing their communication needs. Better hearing means better overall wellness. Untreated hearing loss has been linked to dementia, increased fatigue and increased depression. Our award-winning team of Doctors of Audiology has been serving Savannah for more than 30 years.
WE HEAR YOU: when you say that your hearing loss is not always noticeable to you, but your family and friends are complaining. Hearing loss typically presents itself by not understanding the conversation, especially when there is competing noise or people talking in the background. What is not so commonly known is that studies show that untreated hearing loss leads to earlier memory problems and cognitive decline.
WE ADVISE YOU: to visit us for a hearing test to get a baseline of your hearing and to discuss your communication needs, from not understanding the TV to not hearing your loved ones. It is important that you see an actual Doctor of Audiology to diagnose and remediate your hearing problems and guide you through a sea of misinformation.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP: you get back the clarity of speech or give you the appropriate referral if your loss can be medically treated. There is a vast array of related medical problems that have links to hearing loss that are missed due to patients thinking that hearing loss is natural as we get older. e o er complimentary in o fice hearin screenings, consultations and demonstrations of the newest in hearing health technology. ENT physicians available by appointment.
Standing, from left: Cathy Rodgers, Kim Shaw, Shelly La’Monica, Karen Krupp, Susan Ross,Chelsey O’Herron, Bonnie Whittle, Janet Howard, Ann Marie Neill, Nicolette Leasa, Andresa Mueller, Rolonda Hunter, Rebecca Wayman, Krissie Laird, Anna Bunton, Jodi Clark, Logan Fox
Sitting, from left: Susan Dailey, Alison Smith, Cathy Cason, Tanner Stratton, Laurie Florance, Kim Rodenburg, Laura Celaya, Sharita Lal, Kathleen Linzey, Claudia Alexander, Meredith Gibson, Elizabeth Gantt, Anne Gantt, Angela Peer
WE ARE: a dynamic group of real estate professionals with an innovative and supportive real estate brokerage behind us. Together, we deliver unsurpassed concierge-level service to all our clients. We empower our buyers and sellers by utilizing cutting-edge tools and advanced technology needed to adapt in this evolving marketplace.
WE HAVE FUN: whenever we get together, either virtually or in-person, to support one another and our business. We understand the value of active volunteerism. We seek opportunities to connect with the community by coming together as a team to make a positive impact. We believe that giving is receiving and that by changing lives we impact our own.
WE ARE PROUD OF: being much more than our brand name “Inclusion.” In Savannah, we embody inclusion in both our diversity of agents and our representation of all consumers. We are knowledgeable professionals who can confidently ide and service the novice homebuyer, the luxury market of both buyers and sellers and the seasoned real estate investor. Above all else, we represent all our clients with integrity.
OUR SECRET WEAPON: is a culture of supportive and diverse agents who work together to provide our clients with the best resources, industry knowledge and forward-thinking marketing to reach their real estate goals.
OUR VISION: is to take risks, be bold, seize the day and respect others and the world around us. Remember, your circumstances will change, people will change, and you willchange. So be open to it, embrace it, live it. Everyone matters — everyone’s voice, everyone’s dreams. We all have ONE life to live, ONE chance to make it mean something and ONE opportunity to live with no regrets.
WE ARE THANKFUL FOR: this beautiful, eclectic city that we get to live in and represent as ambassadors to clients from around the world every day. We are grateful to be able to showcase our hometown or adopted city and its unique personality and help o r clients find the perfect place to call home.
GOODWILL SOUTHEAST GEORGIA IS: a complex and diverse social enterprise. We support our mission to help individuals overcome barriers to sustainable employment.
MY MISSION IS TO: Empower and inspire people to achieve their greatest personal and professional potential. – Villegas e the est in ence and e ample or my daughters, family and teammates. – Wiles
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Are passionate about making a positive impact on people and their community. – Villegas Support other women in achieving their goals. – Styron Have big dreams, strong drive and determination. – Wiles
Use their voice and strength to advocates for others and lift others up. – Callaway-Penny
MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE ARE: perseverance, accountability, a work-life balance and a good cup of coffee. – Styron
I LEAD BY: the principles of servant leadership. I believe that we have the responsibility to encourage and lift others up to make the biggest impact. – Callaway-Penny
I’M MOST PROUD OF: my bachelor’s and master s de rees as m the first eneration in my family to obtain a college degree. – Villegas
I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: speak up and stand up for themselves, stay strong through life’s journey and don’t let anyone tell them that they aren’t great. – Wiles
GLOW MEDICAL SPA AND BEAUTY BOUTIQUE 912.303.9611 • 415 Eisenhower Drive #6 912.349.3690 • 3 E. Perry St. glowsavannah.com
The Glow MedSpa team has won Savannah magazine’s Best of Savannah for 13 years in a row.
From left, front: Mary Kate Robertson, Brittney Jasien, Courtney Victor, Eden Bates, Vanessa Delisle; back: Sophia Antonellis, Paige Nelson, Madison Wilkins, Joyce Chan, Ragan Gaskin, Jacqueline Mains, Mary Douglass Hallman, Sydney Jaeger
MY MISSION: is to help women feel empowered and confident and se any pro essional s ccess achieve to ive ack and improve the lives o others.
OUR PATIENTS CHOOSE US BECAUSE: the c stomer service e perience and the services and prod ct reakthro hs we o er at low are the watermarks or medical aesthetics.
I LEAD BY: ein interactive and y ein a visionary. am so rate l to e s rro nded y wonder l women every time walk into work and stron ly enco ra e my team to share their ideas and inspirations. e strive to make low the est it can e to ether.
I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: remem er to take time or themselves. omen lead s ch sy stress l lives o ten providin or other
people in so many ways. hey need to remem er to prioriti e themselves.
MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW: we are ranked in the op percent o all oto and filler acco nts in the co ntry. e do more oto and fillers than other acco nts which p ts s in the op acco nts in eor ia. e are also amon the op lar est Hydra acial acco nts in eor ia. am so pro d o my teams or not st the antity t the ality o care they provide.
I AM MOST PROUD THAT: as we cele rate o r th year in siness o r ama in s pporters have made it possi le or s to donate and ive ack more than to local nonprofits.
OUR CORE VALUES ARE: competence, e cl sivity and passion these define o r real estate firm. here is a sin le vision shared y those who represent n el lkers worldwide to link the aspirations o discernin individ als aro nd the world e it in a private or siness conte t with total passion.
OUR BUSINESS: is a ll service residential real estate rokera e firm speciali in in avannah and its coastal comm nities. e are n el lkers a premier lo al real estate company o nded in rope in . n el lkers now operates property shops in nations. y partnerin o r local o ti e real estate firm with n el lkers we have the a ility to market homes across a lo al network o a filiates increasin e pos re amon individ als within an e cl sive international a dience.
WE ARE PROUD OF: havin st een reco ni ed as one o the ation s est rokera es in y eal rends
OUR MISSION: is ellin avannah to the world e are e traordinary award winnin sinesswomen who en oy sharin o r love o avannah o r knowled e o the ho sin market and the investment opport nities o r ea ti l city o ers.
OUR CREATIVE TEAM: helps clients discover the e citement s rro ndin their ne t move whether it s their first home or a l rio s p rade. r trainin and marketin capa ilities ens re that o r advisors can competently meet yo r real estate needs. e will develop a c stomi ed real estate strate y and provide speciali ed services that will work or yo and yo r property.
WE ARE: the new community bank growing in Savannah. Although we are relatively new to this market, Great Oaks Bank has been serving customers across Georgia since 1934. We are excited to expand our footprint to provide exceptional service to Savannah, Pooler and Richmond Hill with the best local bankers around.
OUR MISSION: is to “Grow Your Legacy” –financially pro essionally and or enerations to come.
WHAT SETS US APART: is our passion for community banking. Your banker is whom yo see in the o fice to whom yo talk on the phone and who is out supporting the greater Savannah community. There are no 800 numbers at Great Oaks Bank, just real people assisting our customers.
OUR CLIENTS CHOOSE US BECAUSE: we provide warm, friendly, responsive customer service, banking products designed to meet the needs of small businesses and families and true relationship banking.
WE LEAD BY: encouraging each other and mentoring the next generation of female bankers. This profession is historically maledominated, so we have had to work harder to have a seat at the table. We want to continue to promote and grow the future female bankers in the greater Savannah area.
WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: encourage and mentor each other personally and professionally. Balancing family, community and business is a struggle all women face. Supporting each other inside and outside of the o fice is the key to all o o r s ccess.
OUR MISSION: is to be passionately engaged in what is est or yo and p t yo first. o First” is the compass that guides our decisions, our practices and our culture with our clients, employees and within o r comm nity.
OUR REAL JOB DESCRIPTION IS: hardworkin women in the o fice and at home. e are CPAs, partners, directors, managers and siness advisors. e are also wives mothers da hters sisters and so m ch more. e wear many hats and do o r very est in each role.
THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: is to nvest in elationships as one o o r firm s ndamentals says. ettin to know our clients on a more personal level and nderstandin what s important to them is what enables us to successfully be their tr sted advisors in siness.
WE LEAD BY: being empathetic with others. e nderstand the di erence o showin empathy vers s sympathy. By being sensitive to the feelings and needs of both our team members and o r clients we ve een a le to drive one another forward and have created long lastin relationships.
WE’RE PROUD OF: our ever-growing female leadership team across all our o fices in eor ia and lorida. ive o o r Hancock skew o. partners are women, including our Savannah fice ana in artner arolyn c ntosh. e re pro d to e a company that recognizes the achievements and contributions of women not only to our firm t also to the acco ntin pro ession as a whole.
I AM MOST PROUD OF: my daughter, Taylor, who is a high school English teacher and coach. I’m also proud of the friendships I gained from my coaching career at Savannah Country Day as well as the expansion we’re currently experiencing with J. Parker in my second career.
THE SECRET TO MY SUCCESS IS: surrounding yourself with good people. A great network of people you can trust and lean on at work and in your personal life is invaluable.
WHAT I LOOK FORWARD TO MOST IN THE FUTURE: are the surprises, of course. Who would’ve thought we’d open three additional stores in the last three years? The thought of opening one later this year in Bluffton is so exciting!
MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT SAVANNAH: is living on the coast and being on the boat or at the beach. I also love the great variety of restaurants (and wine!) we have.
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: give their best every day and are not afraid of a challenge.
THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I’VE EVER RECEIVED: comes from way back, to the business that I truly know — coaching. You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.
CLIENTS DO BUSINESS WITH US BECAUSE: we have been around since 1972, and our attention to detail and personal service continues 50 years later.
I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: discover the new ladies’ apparel in all three of our stores.
DR. M. LOUISE WALTERS, CEO PhD, MSM, BS, IOM 912.349.7989 louisewalters@theleadershipcenter.com theleadershipcenter.com
THE LEADERSHIP CENTER’S MISSION: inspiring organization and leadership excellence.
OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES: are visibility and awareness. Many people don’t yet know that The Leadership Center team manages nonprofit or ani ations and that we cons lt and advise leaders vol nteers and sta s o nonprofit ro ps sinesses overnment a encies and academia. onprofit ro ps impact every aspect o o r world and o r team helps them achieve their goals.
THE SECRETS TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS: is ein e i le c rio s honest enco ra in knowled e learnin rom disappointments, celebrating achievements, remem erin o r roots and mentorin t re leaders.
I’M VERY PROUD OF: earning my PhD last year. t complements my years as a s ect matter e pert in creatin rowin mana in and tro leshootin nonprofits and or ani ations.
MY MANAGEMENT STYLE IS: oc sed and collaborative. I’m an experienced problem solver and consens s ilder who leads y listenin anticipatin and idin .
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE: ll time part time interim mana ement cons ltin needs assessments, leadership development, crisis mana ement and tro leshootin s ccession plannin t ne ps t rnaro nds and fi in roken or ani ations ed cation and trainin strate ic plan and siness plan acilitation and orientations overnance doc ment review opinion s rveys and or ani ation and operation analysis.
OUR MISSION: is to become an extension of our clients’ organizations, learn about what they want to achieve and design and execute marketing and outreach programs to accomplish their goals. Our approach is to get print, broadcast, digital, in-person events and social media all working together to make a lasting impact on target audiences.
I AM MOST PROUD OF: my team of dedicated, hardworking, loyal and professional women who work with me every day. A huge shout-out to Hollie, Kristyn, Allie, Crystal, Sally, Shelby, Emily and Mary – thanks for your great work and exceptional commitment!
I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: donatin my time and skills to nonprofit organizations in the region. I sold my large PR business in London just before the economic
downturn of 2008. When I came to Savannah in 2009, I was determined to pay it forward and serve my community. We donate 20 percent o o r illa le time to nonprofit or anizations. I am a past president of our local Rotary Club, have served on many local and regional boards and am currently a member of the advisory board of the United Way.
I’VE DISCOVERED THAT: there are no short c ts and one si e does not fit all. ective marketing programs must be tailored to meet each client s specific needs and d et. We work hard to build initiatives that punch above their weight to give the best possible return on investment. We take an integrated approach and measure our performance on tangible, documented results. –Answers provided by Lesley Francis, owner
MY MISSION: is to give every patient a good e perience in o r o fice. e want patients to leave with a etter nderstandin o the condition that ro ht them in as well as their c stomi ed treatment. – Howington
THE SECRET TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH IS: r st. sta lishin tr st with yo r patients is a m st especially in the esthetics field. – Spring ood c stomer service. yo make yo r patients happy they will come ack and tell their riends. they have a pro lem make it ri ht. eep an open line o comm nication so that patients know how to reach yo and have the est sta . – Brennan
WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: am pro a ly o tdoors hikin swimmin or kayakin . – Smith
I KNEW I WANTED TO PRACTICE DERMATOLOGY: rom watchin my dad also a dermatolo ist r n a s ccess l practice. – Howington
I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: wear se hi h ality skin care and sched le ann al skin checks. – Turner
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: can m ltitask and keep a ood attit de. t is not easy to hold a ll time o and have a amily. t takes a lot o patience and or ani ation. hey serve as role models or all o s. – Brennan
I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: my da hters my do cker the o fice s Happiness oordinator and my practice – Howington
WE ARE: the local chapter of an international association of women employed in construction that promotes the industry and supports the advancement of women within it. The National Association of Women in onstr ction is an international nonprofit organization of more than 7,000 women in hundreds of chapters worldwide.
OUR MISSION: is to support women in the construction industry through professional development, business opportunity, community outreach and mentoring programs.
WE’RE PROUD OF: paying it forward. Young women need encouragement to find the career path o their dreams. e care. We mentor. We give. NAWIC chapters award millions of dollars in scholarships
to students pursuing construction-related studies each year. Our ongoing NAWIC Scholarship Fund supports young women at Windsor Forest High School and Savannah Technical College who are pursuing careers in construction. That’s what “Building the Future” looks like to us.
THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: is to suit up, show up and always keep your word. A good reputation is earned because doing great work well isn’t easy. The road to success is always under construction!
THE TOOLS OF OUR TRADE: are utilizing the latest technology, a quick mind to create and problem solve anything, grit, guts and patience so we can challenge the status quo. We love what we do!
OUR TOOLS OF THE TRADE ARE: meditation practice (our secret weapon for staying grounded), a paper calendar (hanging a iant calendar in o r o fice has een a ame changer for keeping weeks organized in one tan i le place and smartwatches to mana e time in our classes and respond to messages).
WE ARE MOST THANKFUL FOR: our s pportive comm nity o mem ers. e had st cele rated o r one year anniversary when the pandemic shut us down in March 2020. e immediately pivoted and learned how to o er online classes t there was a h e learning curve in terms of everything from the ality o o r e ipment to the n m er o classes we co ld o er. any o o r mem ers stayed with us, encouraged us, took online classes and even donated money that allowed us to upgrade our equipment.
WE ARE MOST PROUD OF OUR: incredi le staff! Our vision was to create a space for teachers to share authentically from the heart. his can e tricky witho t losin the sense of consistency and unity that is so important in o r line o siness. e have een a sol tely deli hted to watch o r ama in teachers grow in their own ways while still nderstandin what it takes to e a team with a shared mission.
MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN THAT: Kendall loves spreadsheets; Erin is the creative one! endall is com orta le helpin her da hter with al e ra and workin as an editorial assistant for a medical writer, while Erin spends her free time crafting and creating. o can even find rin s or eo s ewelry for sale in the studio.
MY MISSION: is to make an impact in the world of coffee and, most importantly, make an impact here in the city of Savannah. Using Origin as a vehicle to love and serve others will always be the goal.
MY MOTTO: is you can’t ever succeed witho t first ailin . o ail o ten ail hard and be proud that you dared to suck at something.
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: are hardworking, h m le and sel ess. he tr est e ample I have is my mom, Kelly. I admire her with everything in me, and I hope to show people the same love and care she has always shown me.
I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: using Origin as a platform to serve others. During the past year, we have been learning to make bread. We have been able to use all of our samples to make lunches for the homeless. In addition to this, we have been working with Inspiritus to hire refugees to help them transition to li e in the . . o serve our community in these ways has been one of our greatest honors, and I can’t wait to see how it grows.
I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: my husband and co-owner, Matt. Since day one, he has been my champion, and I couldn’t do this without him. He is a massive part of our success, and I’m so grateful for all of the time and talent he has poured into Origin.
I BELIEVE: that every client is unique and deserves a one-on-one relationship with my full attention. With that as my top focus, I have sold nearly $80 million of local real estate and have developed many lasting relationships with clients and their families. I take pride in each client and show this by providing them with several guarantee programs that eliminate the typical risks associated with buying or selling properties, such as the “Never Be Homeless Guarantee,” which is crucial in today’s market.
MY LOCAL HEROINE: is Malena Stone, the founder of PACK (People of Action Caring or ids a nonprofit or ani ation that eeds local children. Malena inspires me daily as I watch her as a professional, wife and a mother. he finds the time to provide or the local community as well as be a mother to her
three oys and ama in wi e to her h s and Dr. Dudley Stone. Go to packsavannah.com to find o t more a o t how alena eeds hungry children in Savannah.
BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: was to come from a place of contribution. When we contribute to a situation and do for others, we take the focus off of ourselves. It’s di fic lt to worry a o t o r tro les when we are engaged in helping someone else.
I GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY BY: serving on the Board of Directors for PACK, serving at my local church, Compassion Christian Church, and sponsoring onfident omen onfident e a local or ani ation that empowers women and girls to be the best version of themselves confidentwomanconfidentme.com .
MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: is a mother, banker, wife, anthropology student, photographer, sister and daughter. That is the beauty of being a woman in business now; we get to be all that we want to be! –Hartog
MY MISSION: is to build long-lasting relationships with my clients. I want to listen and learn about what they do and are striving for and to truly be a partner in helping them become successful. –Struble
MY LOCAL HEROINE:
The late Eleanor “Sandy” Torrey West. Often referred to as the woman who saved an island, Ms. West was an extraordinary woman who left an immeasurable wake in my life. As a child who frequented Ossabaw Island from a yo n a e learned firsthand the meanin of tenacity and perseverance. –Hartog
My mother, who surrounded me with love and support my entire childhood, all the while juggling being a military wife to a constantly deployed spouse, an actively involved mother and a successful businesswoman. We joke about how I’ve followed in her footsteps in the banking industry (she’s been in banking for almost 30 years). –Struble
I’M
My family, who is my support system. I would not be where I am today without their love, s pport and sacrifices. onstant praise and encouragement from other women in business has also been crucial. Women encouraging women is where it all starts. –Struble
My mother for her unwavering support. I could not have asked for a better example of how to be a working mom! –Hartog
WE ARE: a successful group of professional women who are experts in real estate in avannah ooler ichmond Hill fin ham County and areas beyond. We are your trusted advisors with unparalleled integrity and local market knowledge, all combined with the advantage of the global Coldwell Banker brand and the exceptional marketing power behind it.
WE PROVIDE: results by creating strategic marketing and pricing strategies that maximize your home’s marketability, aimed at selling your home in the shortest time possible at the most favorable price. When purchasing, we guide you every step o the way to find the home o yo r dreams by helping you negotiate the best terms and conditions that meet your real estate goals.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE DO: for our clients is offer expert guidance. If you could live anywhere, where would it be? With today’s home values, this is the perfect time to make your dream a reality. “Guiding You Home” is not just what we do, it’s who we are. We love being able to impact our clients’ lives personally. Our greatest satisfaction comes from making a difference and helping our clients achieve their goals and dreams. That is the true measure of our success!
CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH US: because we are experienced, loyal, trustworthy agents who are a part of Coldwell anker ccess ealty with o fices in South Carolina and Georgia. We are wellequipped to provide exceptional support and unsurpassed marketing tools in real estate.
OUR MISSION: is to empower inner confidence in a way that potentiates a etter ality o li e.
OUR REAL JOB DESCRIPTION IS: pro lem solvers. n the early sta es it was simply st acial and aesthetic pro lems. ow as o r siness contin es to row there are constant pro lems that arise. t s the nat re o any siness east. hese are the steps we m st ace in order to contin e to take o r siness and patient e perience to the ne t level.
WE ARE THANKFUL FOR: tr st primarily o r patient s tr st. t s so val a le and rare in o r c rrent world and what it tr ly takes to e cel in the aesthetic siness. econd the tr st o r sta has p t into s and carryin o t o r mission. r a ility as a team to stay id
and adapta le in s ch a chan in world has een a h e lessin to o r siness and the patients we serve.
WE HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: nderstand that there is a societal sti ma a ainst takin care o yo rsel and wantin to look and eel etter. t is st that a sti ma that needs to e redefined. eali in that as a society we are lar ely naware o these proced res their act al realistic o tcomes and who is capa le o receivin them re ires a paradi m shi t in the ind stry. hat o is p to s in the ind stry and how we ed cate o r patients and se o r social plat orms. esthetic proced res can and sho ld e accessi le to all.
WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: are not a raid to r e eathers.
MY JOURNEY BEGAN: in 1988 at an entrylevel position in healthcare that carried me to 2009 as CFO and co-founder of Coastal Ear, Nose & Throat with my husband, Dr. David Oliver. I received a degree in healthcare management and obtained credentials with the American Academy of Professional Coders in practice management, coding and billing. These steps, along with being involved in specialty organizations, networking and monitoring changes in the evolving healthcare industry, have allowed me to optimize the development of our practice.
THE SECRETS TO A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS ARE: the three “As” of success – availability, affability and ability. We must be available for our patients’ needs, care for our patients in a pleasant, affable way and be able to provide a lfillin patient e perience.
I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: our staff (who receive compliments on their friendliness and caring nature), our patients (who trust us with their healthcare needs) and our providers (who deliver state-of-the-art care for adult and pediatric ear, nose and throat conditions, allergies, hearing and sinus CT imaging).
I’M MOST PROUD OF: our warm, inviting, beautiful facility, which includes a separate childrens’ room and a nursing room that offers a peaceful place to breastfeed after a tongue tie release.
I HOPE WOMEN WILL: understand success is not dependent on a college degree alone. o many other reso rces and e periences are necessary to be successful. Be involved in career organizations, give back to the community and create time for yourself and family.
MY CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: I offer a personal touch to each appointment. Our clients deserve just as much of a custom experience as their project.
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: have found the balance between being strong mothers, leaders and individual selves. I think it’s really hard to master work-life balance, and I’m working my hardest to balance everything for myself, my family and my business.
MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: that da le in olfin and fishin . o can catch me practicin or upcoming tournaments in both.
I’M MOST PROUD OF: my team. e ectin over the past year we ve rown
exponentially. It has really forced our mental m scles to e and has p shed s to work more closely together. Much of the team has had to adapt to new duties and roles given the growth we’ve witnessed. It hasn’t been an easy transition, but if it wasn’t for everyone’s adaptable spirit, we would be in trouble.
WHAT KEEPS ME GOING: is positive feedback from the community. The momentum we’ve witnessed during the pandemic has been a whirlwind. And I’m super excited and grateful to be selected as Best Blinds and Shutter Company and Best Window Treatment Company in the 2022 Best of Savannah HOMES reader survey.
WE SPECIALIZE IN: custom interior window treatments, awnings and storm protection. We advise, measure and install your projects.
OUR MISSION: is to celebrate the new and enduring voices of our city’s culture, commerce and creative community.
OUR REAL JOBS ARE BEING: curators of Savannah culture. Natives and newcomers on our staff are all avid, active ambassadors of the unparalleled Savannah lifestyle.
WE ARE PROUD OF: being Savannah’s premier city magazine for 33 years. Each year, we publish six Savannah magazines, three HOMES issues, our annual Southern Coastal Weddings and a variety of publications for the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce.
OUR FAVORITE DAYS: are when we hear from readers and partners who say someone pointed them out in a story or turned to them after seeing their advertisement.
when an article or cover is shared or tagged on Instagram. Or when a transplant calls for a recommendation for a doctor, restaurant or interior designer and wants a copy of our annual Best of Savannah reader surveys. Long before social media, Savannah magazine was and remains the real avannah in encer.
MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: that we helped create the best-selling avor o eopold s ce ream. n honor o o r 25th anniversary, we teamed up with Leopold’s to create “Savannah Socialite.” Naming this concoction of chocolate, bourbon-infused caramel and pecans was as fun as the taste tests!
WE HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: buy local. By supporting local shops, restaurants and business professionals and services, you are investing in on our community.
I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: realize nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief she has in herself. – Davies
MY CLIENTS DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: I am honest and meticulous. I study their faces and take the time to understand their facial movements and shapes. I utilize my background in art to provide natural, balanced, beautiful results. – Bouchard
THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT I EVER RECEIVED FROM A PATIENT WAS: that t rned a ood marria e into a terrific marriage. I had a patient who was extremely insecure about her body and would never
let her husband turn the lights on when they were together. That changed considerably after her breast augmentation. – Davies
MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE: are all the injectables, including Restylane, Juvederm, Botox/Dysport, Sculptra, Radiesse, multiple laser platforms and medicalgrade skincare. – Bouchard
MY PERSONAL BEAUTY SECRET: is always take care of your skin! Keep your daily beauty regimen fairly simple. I use medical grade products twice daily and keep my skin rejuvenated by getting procedures at regular intervals with our estheticians and injector specialist. – Davies
MY MISSION: is to bring better health and a better way of life to my patients by teaching and practicing the true principles of chiropractic wellness care.
I’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT: part of achieving a reasonable work/life balance is learning to ask for help. I’ve always taken pride in my independence, but as a working mom running multiple businesses, I know the importance of having an experienced, capable team in place. I am so fortunate to have found excellent staff who help ensure that my patients have the best possible experience once they walk through our doors.
THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: was to surround myself with people who know more than I do. I’ve tried to do that in all areas of my life. Although
I trust my instincts, I also believe that being intellectually curious and open to learning from others is the key to professional success and personal growth.
I’M THANKFUL FOR: my amazing patients and wonderful family and friends who support and encourage me. Seeing the positive change that chiropractic can make in people’s lives day in and day out has brought me so much joy. I’m thankful to be in a profession that gives me the ability to truly make a difference by improving people’s quality of life.
I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: feel empowered to chase their dreams, create the lives they envision and take care of themselves first y takin char e o their health.
–Answers provided by Dr. Amy Thompson, DC
OUR MISSION: is to help you navigate all aspects o yo r financial li e. e are fid ciaries who are le ally and ethically o li ated to p t o r clients est interests ahead o o r own. he sole oc s o o nd iew ealth dvisors is o r clients financial well ein .
WHEN WE ARE NOT IN THE OFFICE: we stay active y r nnin in local races takin eloton fitness classes oin to re arre and playin tennis. ther ho ies that keep s sy are akin oatin paintin crochetin and ardenin .
WE STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY
BY: partnerin with local or ani ations and charities that have si nificant meanin to o r team. r ana in artner elissa o chillon serves on local oards incl din avannah sic estival and he andin s
amily ilitary elie nd. e also en oy s pportin the andin s rt ssociation el air se ms iwanis o kidaway nion ission merica s econd Harvest o oastal eor ia s ids a e san . omen and a e helter.
WE ARE MOST THANKFUL THAT: we contin e to add to o r team o empowered women and work as a team to make a di erence in people s lives y ein their tr sted advisors. ehind every s ccess l woman is a tri e o other s ccess l women who have her ack.
OUR CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH US BECAUSE: they know we always p t them first. e are involved in every aspect o their financial pict re and help them chart their co rse with a so nd financial plan.
OUR MISSION: is to build a legacy of strong, lasting real estate relationships. Programs like our Legacy Sales Society recognize our agents not only for their production but also for their participation, promotion and personal development. Our agents have the well-rounded experience that it takes or a s ccess l start to finish real estate transaction.
OUR MOTTO: is #bethelegacy. The word legacy embodies the impact and accomplishments one has had on people and places. e want o r story as defined by each of our amazing agents, to be about embracing the best in knowledge, ethics, experience and genuine client support.
THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: is positive word of mouth.
The challenges and demands of daily life, parenting, work and everything in between have grown exponentially. All the while, our local real estate market has been one of the most challenging in decades. Watching our agents overcome these obstacles, meet demands and truly succeed beyond all expectations has been nothing short of awe-inspiring.
WE’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT: a team is much stronger than an individual. We might be individual agents essentially competing for the same results, but if we change the narrative and support one another as a Legacy team, our success is proven to be much greater. We encourage and reward our agents for their support of one another within our brokerage.
MY MISSION: is to create really cool stuff. I always try to find new and interestin ways to se film to tell a story. he challen e that comes rom takin somethin m ndane and makin it e traordinary is what keeps me oin .
MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE ARE: e cellent li htin can do incredi le thin s with a mediocre camera and reat li htin it s the secret to a hi h ality prod ction e cellent people knowin what yo don t know is important se that knowled e to find the people who e cel in the areas where yo str le and invite them to e a part o yo r team and e cellent fitness daily worko ts keep me on track and allow me to carry aro nd all that heavy prod ction e ipment .
I’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT: yo never do work witho t a contract.
I’M PROUD OF: o r list o clients. here are lar e companies on the est oast that y s o t to make their commercials eca se they val e what we prod ce. hat eels really ood. e ve also maintained relationships with many o o r clients or an e traordinarily lon time. e re oin into o r th year with arker s.
THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: is to nder promise and over deliver. ana in e pectations is key and that allows me to meet and e ceed those e pectations consistently and deli ht the client. ay e it s y comin in a week e ore deadline or may e it s addin an e tra short video that wasn t incl ded in the ori inal scope o work. t s important to me to make s re that o r clients eel really ood a o t every dollar they spend with s.
OUR MISSION: is to empower our students and ultimately make them independently financially sec re. r mantras are ollow o r assion and nowled e is ower. yo ac ire knowled e and have passion in what yo do yo are s re to s cceed
WE HAVE RECENTLY MOVED: to a newly renovated s are oot state o the art acility to accommodate o r aesthetics and massa e pro ram and clinical spa.
WE LOVE OUR LOCATION BECAUSE: we are close to the order o o th arolina and eor ia and can enroll and rad ate st dents rom oth states in aesthetics and massa e where they can ecome licensed.
WE ARE EXCITED THAT: o r first massa e class de ted in pril and o r evenin
massa e class will e in in ly leadin into a all session. assa e nstit te s st dents are trained y e ceptional instr ctors with more than years o c m lative e perience. assa e nstit te is a ational ertification oard or herape tic assa e odywork assi ned school approved y the ederation o tate assa e herapy oards and we are mem ers o the ssociated odywork assa e ro essionals.
WE OFFER: ei ht sessions per year or o r aesthetics pro ram. dvanced esthetics cademy o ers asic c rric l m with trainin in n mero s modalities.
WE ARE MOST PROUD THAT: we are a women owned and operated school with inte rity e perience dedication and passion or ed catin people.
MY NEXT STEP: The Printed Peach is a Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store located in the heart of the Downtown Design District. I have always been a “Lilly Girl,” and when the opportunity for owning my own store presented itself, it was a no brainer! Here we are almost two years later, and I am expanding my business. This spring I am launching Lime and Lemon, a boutique that will offer a different take on a colorful life, a curated online boutique experience for customers new and old.
MY MOTTO: is to add a little sunshine and sweetness to every day and to live colorfully always.
I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: eating, shopping and supporting local businesses.
MY DAILY FASHION ESSENTIALS: include a Lele Sadoughi headband, an iced coffee with coordinating straw charm and a Lilly Pulitzer dress.
I ALWAYS KNEW: I wanted to work in the fashion industry. As a little girl, I loved wearing my mom’s clothes and was constantly wanting everything I owned to be pink. I love people and shopping, so owning a boutique is a per ect fit
MY
INCLUDES: taking my dogs for a walk, a late breakfast at Franklin’s before opening the store, talking with the amazing local Printed Peach customers during the day, dinner at Bella Napoli and drinks at The Artillery.
WE ARE MOST PROUD OF: our more than 150 employees in seven different states across America. With a history of nearly 40 years in business, it takes a dedicated team to allow TideWater to provide the best landscaping service to our customers. The women of TideWater are an integral part of the team. Along with the professionalism they bring to TideWater, they are wives, mothers, role models, counselors and cheerleaders. The gifts that they all bring to their families are treasures shared with the TideWater team.
MEET SOME OF THE LEADING WOMEN OF TIDEWATER: Connie Hill is the CFO of ide ater and has een at the financial helm of The TideWater Group for eight years. Lynne Whetsell is our billing administrator and is responsible for all billing and payments received while being a familiar voice over
the TideWater phones as she assists our customers and staff. Courtney Bass is an account manager at TideWater, and her responsi ilities are o t in the field with o r customers to make certain that we deliver the highest of landscape standards and provide an exceptional product. Angie Gross is our HR/payroll administrator responsible for all personnel records from the moment our employees are hired and join the TideWater team. Katherine Chambers is our accounts payable administrator and is responsible for managing invoices and providing job costing for all TideWater accounts.
WE ARE THANKFUL FOR: the women of TideWater and the roles for which they are responsible to make sure we are successful. The TideWater team works together every day to provide the best in landscape management.
WE LEAD BY: a “we” company culture. We believe in the power of our team and recognize that our strength as a company shines brighter together, rather than on our own as individuals. Our “we” culture includes our salon’s guests – where we can listen, share and support the needs of everyone who walks through our doors. Our guests and our team motivate and inspire us to show up every day feeling like the best versions of ourselves.
WE’RE MOST PROUD OF: the team we’ve slowly built throughout the past two years. We have such an extraordinary group of intelligent, kind, supportive and skilled professionals. It feels good knowing that each member of our team shares and e emplifies the vision that we want to showcase to our guests.
THE SECRETS TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: are quality relationships built with customers and the education you offer your team. Our guests are not just a number to us – they are the reason we love what we do every day. Because of this, we work diligently to ensure that all of our team members are highly trained to our company’s standards and offered all of the tools they need to feel confident in their skill set. his way o r team can focus on the positive and professional relationships that they build with each one of our guests. Each client for us feels like family, and we believe that’s what has made us successful over the years.
OUR REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: day makers. here s nothin etter than makin someone eel confident ea ti l and stron
OUR REAL JOB DESCRIPTIONS: are mom, wife, home renovators, interior designers and noncertified psycholo ists. oth o o r amilies have recently o ht o r own fi er ppers and we re doin ll renovations little y little. ne mi ht think we re n ts to take this on while doin pro ects or several clients. However we have learned so m ch oin thro h this process personally that we really eel like it has made s etter at o r o s. e also nderstand the emotional toll it can take on a amily hence the psycholo y component. e re ready to handle it all
OUR MISSION: is to create a space that yo love and want to show o . o sho ld e e cited when a est asks to se yo r powder room or when yo have an o t o town est stayin with yo . o r home sho ld represent yo r personal style and who yo are.
OUR BIGGEST TIP FOR CLIENTS: is to have some n ooms that are land and sa e can still e pretty. t why not throw in some n wallpaper and old statement li htin o ll never e mad that yo went or it. o ll e more pset i yo didn t.
OUR TRICK OF THE TRADE: is not spendin yo r money where it doesn t co nt. o co ld spend tho sands o dollars on decorative pillows or eds and so as. t why yo re anythin like s we re ready to chan e thin s p the ne t season. hen we y a orda le options it doesn t h rt to switch it p rom time to time.
OUR FAVORITE PROJECTS: are home renovations. rom investment properties to personal homes we ve een doin them all. e ore and a ter pict res are so m ch n
MY MISSION: is to connect with each couple, understand their story and deliver their vision in a way that is respectful of their unique style, personality and budget.
WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: I am playing with my kids or working in the yard –it’s so therapeutic.
I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: volunteering at church and assisting nonprofits like amily romise.
ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME: that wedding days are charged, emotions are heightened, guests are unruly, but at the end of the day, the couple is married.
MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: is a joyful wife to my husband, Mark, and mother to our
four children ages 9, 7, 5 and 19 months. As women, we have the ability to set the tone in the workplace and the home. It’s both a responsibility and a privilege.
I KNEW I WANTED TO BE AN EVENT PLANNER: shortly after college while working for independently owned resorts. When I would see events taking place onsite, I always wanted to watch the banquets set up and see what menu the chef prepared and where the ice carving would go.
I LEAD BY: example. I treat others the way I like to be treated. I don’t shy away from physical labor or tough conversations. I have a strong reputation for being a team player and sticking up for both clients and vendor partners.
–Answers provided by Anna Swanson, founder
• Be a constant learner. I started in business more than 22 years ago with no college degree and little knowledge about running a business. For my business to grow, I had to grow. I am passionate about constantly learning and surrounding myself with people who inspire and support me.
• Be uncomfortable. As an introvert, being a leader does not come natural to me. You won’t get good at something until you fail a thousand times. I choose to get out there, do uncomfortable things and push past my comfort zone so I can get better.
• Not quit. In order to be successful at anything, you have to stick with it, learn
from your mistakes and get better. As my mentor Larry Janesky says, “Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there.”
• Take care of me. In order to give and be available for others, you have to take care o yo rsel first. hen m not workin like to stay active, whether it is CrossFit, riding my Peloton, working out in my home gym or walking my dogs.
• Be happy. At Lowcountry Foundation Repair, our mission is making you happy you chose us. I want our customers to e happy that they chose s to fi their home’s foundation issue. I also want our employees to have lfillment rom their work so they can go home to create a happier family and community.
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: build others up. My mom has always told me I could do anything I put my mind to, and it’s this encouragement that instilled in me a sense of confidence in my own a ility to s cceed at a very young age. I love working with people who raise each other up and support one another, particularly in the business world. I’m fortunate to work with a team of amazingly creative, supportive and loving women (and men) who are always cheering one another on to success.
MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: that I started my career as a lawyer. However, raising my children quickly won out over that particular venture, and I never went back to it. Luckily, the things I learned in law school serve me well in operating my businesses.
WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: I love spending time with my family or in my art studio. I love to be creative. It’s a great way to unwind, and it’s a great way to be expressive in a quiet way. Bonaventure Blues is an extension of that experience, where I sell my paintings and pottery. It’s a place that I hope inspires others to explore their creativity too.
ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME: the amount of hard work that goes into owning your own business(es). People think you make your own schedule and work your own hours. In reality, it’s doing whatever needs to be done whenever it needs to be done. You’re never really off. In the end, though, it’s still extremely rewarding and satisfying.
OUR MISSION: is to bring out the beauty that is already within.
OUR CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH US: because of the trust that has grown through giving them desired results consistently. They also love the comfortable, creative environment of the salon.
WHEN I AM NOT IN THE OFFICE: I paint, cook and discover the world around me with my daughter.
MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE: are my cutting shears, blow dryer and intuition.
THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: was from my grandmother. She said if I think it and it’s a good idea just do it because you may not get another chance.
MY LOCAL HEROINE: is Molly Lieberman with Loop It Up Savannah because she is increasing the arts in children’s lives.
THE SECRET TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS: is to embrace the community, live in the moment, do the best you can, choose your team wisely and show gratitude to everyone.
THE BEST BUSINESS CONNECTION I EVER MADE: was Mr. and Mrs. Harris, who formerly owned the building where the salon resides, for believing in me.
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: lift each other up, see the beauty within each other and keep learning and growing through all chapters of life.
–Answers provided by Kim Swann, owner
40 VOLUME SALON • AV8 BARBERS 912.695.5599 • 816 E. 71st St. 40volume.com • av8barbers.com
MY MISSION: is to provide a beautiful company in which all of our employees can o rish row and e s pported and mentored. place where mem ers o o r comm nity can eel at home val ed and treated with the est services we can o er.
MY MOTTO: is never stop dreamin or somethin i er.
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: s pport each other. e are ar etter o to ether.
I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: s pportin local. am the resident o y ocal a ro p o the most incredible local business professionals who truly s pport each other.
ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME: that you always need to keep workin on yo rsel . have learned that yo have to e ready to pivot at any point and reinvent yo rsel when needed.
912.216.2323 • 200 E. Montgomery Crossroads, Building J iienailbar.com
From left: Jala Stitt, Olivia Bevel, Shartoria Agyemang, Talaia Jenkins, Jeadeia Mincey, Jeadonnia Agyemang, Destiny Hooper, Victoria Baker, Nashica Smart, Shaquari Williams
OUR MISSION: is to provide exceptional, high-quality and healthy nail and hair care. To create a salon where trending and classic nails can be achieved without compromising an amazing atmosphere.
WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: have beaten odds, who strive to be the best they can while still giving back to her community and who smash their goals.
OUR CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH US: because we offer nail designs that are seen on TV and social media. Our nail sets are custom-designed, and our environment is one-of-a-kind. Complimentary refreshments are served daily. We feature spa-like pedicures, and our technicians are highly skilled.
OUR TOOLS OF THE TRADE: are beautiful nail glitters, an amazing collection of gel colors and our special callus-removal tool for pedicures.
SAVANNAH FAMILY EYE CARE 912.235.2798 • 513 E. Oglethorpe Ave., Ste. F savannahfamilyeyecare.com
MY MISSION: is to provide Savannah with personalized eye care in a family-oriented setting. I want any patient at any age to feel comfortable. Worried about how your child will behave during the exam? Don’t be! Our all-mom staff can make it work.
I KNEW I WANTED TO BECOME AN OPTOMETRIST WHEN: ot my first lasses in the third rade. t was like ma ic being able to suddenly see clearly. I still enjoy watching others experience that same magic.
MY CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: they know I will take the time to address all of their visual needs. Whether it be with glasses or contacts or both, I always work to find the ri ht sol tion to s it each patient s li estyle.
WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: I am in the kitchen baking, cheerin on my eor ia lldo s at s or fishin . o t fish my husband almost every time we go out, though he rarely admits it.
REALTY ONE GROUP INCLUSION 912.547.2021 • 7025 Hodgson Memorial Drive, Ste. A katiannwright.com
MY MISSION: is to listen to my clients. Whether buying, selling or investin in real estate my oal is to find the ri ht property to match the li estyle they desire.
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: persevere. m inspired y other women s stories who have overcome reat challen es and have become better because of them.
MY CLIENTS DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: love what do and think o tside o the o to meet their needs whether that s connectin clients with my concier e movin service or sellin their home thro h creative marketin .
MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION IS: mother. My little guy is my everythin was ta ht to p t aith and amily first and to work hard and the other pieces wo ld all into place. decided to move my o fice home to oc s on what matters most and still run a successful business.
MEYER & SAYERS LLP 912.598.5151 • 500 Stephenson Ave. meyersayers.com
MY MISSION: is to help clients ensure their legacy is carried out and provide peace of mind. As an estate planning attorney, I use wills and trusts to document my clients’ wishes. Similarly, I advise clients after the loss of a loved one to guide them through the process of settling their loved one’s affairs.
I’M PROUD OF: my collaboration skills. I enjoy working with clients of all ages, sometimes across multiple generations, along with their acco ntants and financial advisors. y s ccess lly working together, we can create a thorough estate plan and ensure that the transfer of wealth is a smooth process.
I’M THANKFUL FOR: my husband and three children (ages 8, 7 and 4). I recently read: “Having somewhere to go is home, having someone to love is family, and having both is a blessing.”
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: get it all done while making it look easy. As a wife and mother, I am always seeking that perfect balance.
ANDREW LOW HOUSE MUSEUM 912.233.1828 • 329 Abercorn St. andrewlowhouse.com
I LOVE WHAT I DO BECAUSE: I share many things in common with Juliette Gordon Low, including surviving breast cancer and being an artist and a Girl Scout. As the Sales & Marketing Manager for the Andrew Low House Museum, I am honored to work with the many visitors and Girl Scout troops who visit this strong and talented woman’s beautiful home every day.
MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE ARE: my Savannah tourism colleagues, my love for Savannah’s rich history and my paintbrushes.
THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH IS: true Southern hospitality! Treat every visitor who visits this city with grace, kindness and gratitude.
MY FAVORITE QUOTE: “I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles.” – Audrey Hepburn
THE BROW BAR SAVANNAH 912.312.0829 • 2424 Drayton St. thebrowbarsavannah.com
MY MISSION: is to help women find confidence within themselves y enhancin their nat ral ea ty. e have seen a h e increase in sel care and m rate l to e a part o it
I KNEW I WANTED TO START MY OWN BUSINESS WHEN: the pandemic started. was ready to make some i chan es. wanted to e more present in my amily s li e and do somethin more meanin l. o nd that y helpin women find their confidence.
THE SECRET TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: is p ttin yo rsel o t there. how p at other sinesses to s pport their events introd ce yo rsel and p t a name to a ace. akin meanin l and personal connections is partic larly important in o r comm nity.
MY PERFECT DAY: is spendin time with my amily in orsyth ark a picnic and ood ook in tow chasin my little one aro nd the park and endin the ni ht with a cocktail rom avoy ociety.
CARRIAGE TRADE PUBLIC RELATIONS ® INC. 912.844.9990 • carriagetradepr.com • reputationmatrix.com marjorie@carriagetradepr.com
MY MISSION: is to help businesses increase their visibility, credibility and positive word of mouth in the community and online.
INCREASE YOUR BUZZ: Studies show that 92 percent of new business and referrals come from word of mouth. Small business owners and nonprofits mi ht not reali e that there is a strate y or creatin me a positive . t starts with creatin a yearly plan sin the ep tation atri method.
I AM PROUD OF: havin the opport nity to serve as president o the otary l o avannah and receivin he o ert . ot emorial ward or eritorio s ervice in ass omm nications by Savannah State University in 2021.
TAKE THIS TEST: oo le the name o yo r company. positive news stories a o t yo r siness are not showin p on the first pa e sched le yo r ree discovery session to see how o r award winnin team can help.
912.217.4229 • 2391 Downing Ave., Thunderbolt dogtopia.com/savannah-thunderbolt
From left, back: Analysa
MY MISSION: is to enhance the joy of dog parenthood and enable dogs to positively change the world!
MY CLIENTS DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE I AM: trustworthy. I am in my business every day and work hard to provide a place that pet parents can absolutely trust to provide the best pet care.
I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: working with rescue organizations. Two of my three dogs came from Coastal Pet Rescue.
MY LOCAL ROLE MODEL: is Salita Hill, manager of the United Community Bank on Victory Drive. Salita and I used to work together at Trust Company Bank of Savannah. As a strong pillar in the community, she was an early female role model. When I started my business, Salita was my banking and loan connection by coincidence.
–Answers provided by Kelly Diamond Wolfsheimer, owner
EVERARD AUCTIONS & APPRAISALS 912.231.1376 • everard.com
MY MISSION: is to help people handle the sale o their fine art and antiques in a professional manner. Whether you are the executor of a large estate or are downsizing, I try to make the process as simple as possible and achieve the highest value for you through our online auction house with global reach.
THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: is to do a great job for people, because word of mouth goes a long way. Most of our business comes through client referrals.
I’M PROUD OF: my involvement with “Antiques Roadshow.” It is a great experience traveling to different cities throughout the country and appraising interesting objects. It also gives me access to a distinguished network of appraisers who are helpful throughout the year in my business.
FINCHES SANDWICHES AND SUNDRIES 912.509.8053 • 2600 Mechanics Ave., Thunderbolt fi c e a d ic e . o e i g .com
WE ENJOY: our customers. Their loyalty is so heartwarming. We couldn’t be thriving like we are during such tough times without our little community of Finches followers. We don’t take a single bit of their support for granted.
WE OPENED A SANDWICH SHOP BECAUSE: who doesn’t love a sandwich? There’s a casualness about lunch. Generally, people’s expectations are higher at dinner, and we wanted something that was low-key but still offered a wow factor. Dinner service is stressful; server nightmares are a real thing. So far, we’ve never had a sandwich nightmare.
BEYOND SANDWICHES, WE LOVE: animals. A big perk of our outdoor dining is all of the dogs – and sometimes cats – who join us. We bring every pooch a bowl of water and treats from Oliver Bentleys. We also host Coastal Pet Rescue adoption events when they bring adoptable dogs to Finches for a meet-and-greet. Just being honest, we’re not very productive on those days!
FORSIGHT UNIQUE EYE CARE & EYE WEAR
912.483.6600 • 350 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. forsighteye.net
I’M PROUD TO: offer the highest quality products and elite customer service. Your eyes deserve the best. Seeing well is essential for all aspects of life, and I believe that starts with a thorough eye exam and eye wear that provides the best vision and comfort.
MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE: include an exceptional team and unique eye wear. ForSight features a collection of eye wear that has grown over time, and each pair of specs can complement an o tfit. ye lasses are my ewelry. co ld not provide the est eye care without seeing and looking my best. Lastly, a clean and or ani ed o fice is essential to my mental well ein .
THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: is being genuine. My team and I would never grow our business if we looked at others as st an opport nity. e see everyone as a potential relationship a relationship that is eneficial to oth parties, whether that’s mentally, physically or monetarily.
SAVANNAH ENDOCRINOLOGY LLC 912.232.5900 • 107 Southern Blvd., Ste. 103 savannahendocrinology.com
MY MISSION: is to expand access of endocrinology health services in the Lowcountry area, improve health and well-being in our community and provide chronic disease management for longterm health conditions affecting the endocrine system.
I LEAD BY: providing vision and direction, given my extensive knowledge in clinical chemistry and distinguishing human variation from disease and training in hormone interpretation. We empower our patients through education and providing individualized care.
I LOVE WHAT I DO BECAUSE: I help my patients gain a better nderstandin o their health and find ways to improve their ality of life. Endocrinology involves caring for the person as well as the disease, which oftentimes is a lifelong condition. I value the longterm relationships with my patients and their families.
I’M THANKFUL FOR: my life journey, my loving and supportive family, my caring staff and our patients who entrust us with their care.
MY MISSION: is to help women find their fire and love themselves as they are. help women stop seein o r v lnera ility and emininity as a weakness and rin o t the nat ral and ni e ea ty and power inside o them so they can see and eel how ama in they are.
WOMEN ARE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT: ein v lnera le is really power l. t s common to e nervo s d rin the first ew min tes o a o doir session. However once clients are five min tes into the photo shoot their inner spirit takes over and helps showcase the phenomenal woman inside.
I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: stop waitin or the per ect time to e ready. here s no per ect wei ht per ect relationship or per ect milestone that s ddenly makes yo reali e yo re worthy eno h to p ll the tri er and do somethin to cele rate yo rsel . o deserve to eel confident ea ti l and power l today
HEATHER MURPHY REAL ESTATE GROUP 912.335.3956 • 329 Commercial Drive, Ste. 100 heathermurphygroup.com
OUR MISSION: is to exceed the expectations of our clients by providing a luxury experience using innovative techniques and niche marketing throughout the buying and selling process. Additionally, we ensure our collaborative work environment empowers each team member to grow professionally and personally so that, ultimately, they can make a difference in our community.
WE STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: making a difference. We kicked off 2022 with a group resolution to make a positive impact in the Coastal Empire every month. By engaging different organizations, we are taking the opportunity to serve our community while cultivating new relationships. Whether it’s providing needed supplies to an animal shelter or showing thanks to locally owned and operated businesses, we are fiercely dedicated to s pportin o r Hostess ity.
UB HENNA & CO. 478.420.0253 ubhennaco.com
HENNA IS: a paste made from the ground-up leaves of the henna tree. It is a natural, temporary dye used on hair and skin aro nd the world or its health enefits artistic e pression and in cele ration o special occasions. speciali e in ridal henna which is m ch more ela orate and detailed enerally coverin oth forearms, hands, legs and feet.
WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: have a child in one hand and a c p o can t e othered to warm it p a ain co ee in the other.
ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME: that in order to be respected and taken serio sly first needed to respect mysel and take my business seriously.
THE SECRET TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS: is networking. Get in front of other business owners who have tangent businesses to yo rs. ltho h may e a socially awkward introvert do my est to connect with and s pport local weddin vendors.
BANNON LAW GROUP LLC 912.239.6610 • 538 E. Waldburg St., Ste. A bannonlawgroup.com
MY MOTTO: is from your dream house to the big house, the Bannon Law Group has got you covered.
MY CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: I am honest, relatable and make a damn good martini.
I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: keeping up with my 10-year-old daughter and her school activities at Savannah Country Day School.
ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME THAT: building long-term relationships with our clients is our goal, and how people feel about their legal experience is the key to making that happen.
I’M MOST PROUD OF: my business expanding into the Savannah market. Being able to serve clients in real estate and criminal matters on both sides of the river tickles me to no end.
MARSH & CO
912.777.8319 • 444 Johnny Mercer Blvd., Ste. R marshandcosav.com
MY MISSION IS TO: provide a unique shopping experience on our islands. owntown is filled with cool shops. want to introd ce my comm nity to ama in local talent and ea ti l ni e prod cts in a cool environment.
MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION IS: mom to o r ama in kids who are slowly leavin the nest. y o is to prepare them to e s ccess l and happy in li e.
MY LOCAL HEROINE IS: andy dell o andy lly. he has years o retail e perience and has ecome my mentor on this o rney. ach day we compare sales and tra fic and she o ers advice on what to e pect when to start plannin and what to avoid in retail.
YOU’D NEVER GUESS THAT: own another siness with my h s and ric that we r n o t o o r home. e provide o ltry Hatchery entilation to hatcheries aro nd the world.
THE MINT GREEN TAG SALE COMPANY 912.232.1039 • 3025 Bull St., Ste. 220 themintgreentagsalecompany.com
THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: is good word of mouth! We strive to cultivate good relationships with each family and make it a priority to exceed their expectations for the sale and in our work.
ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH US: which items to highlight and market to make an estate sale as successful as possible.
WE’RE MOST THANKFUL FOR: our clients, who allow us into their homes, and our faithful shoppers, who make it a point to spend part of each weekend with us.
WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON: doing our very best for each family in very different circumstances every week.
MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: they sho ld call s or a ree cons ltation first e ore they e in cleaning up and clearing out an estate.
MM JOHNSON CPA 912.507.4741 • 51 W. Fairmont Ave. mmjohnsoncpa.com
MY MISSION: is to use my passion for making money to help Black businesses thrive.
I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: working with nonprofit a encies s ch as the ccess to apital or ntreprene rs omen s siness enter and the reater avannah lack ham er o ommerce to ed cate and empower Black business owners.
THE BEST BUSINESS CONNECTION I EVER MADE WAS: my ormer oss elissa arter. hen told her was oin into siness on my own ll time she helped me sec re my largest contract.
MY NEXT VENTURE: will be teaching collegiate courses for acco ntin . want to inspire other yo n lack st dents especially yo n lack women to e a part o the less than percent o licensed s in merica.
MORGAN RAE BOUTIQUE 912.658.4259 • 301 W. Broughton St., Unit B, upstairs morganraeboutique.com
I HOPE OTHER WOMEN ARE: inspired by the number of women-owned businesses in Savannah and feel encouraged to take risks, not give up and follow their dreams. It’s been almost three years since opening, and I am still learning, growing, making mistakes. But I’m also bouncing back and surpassing goals every single day.
I AM PROUD OF: our newly revamped morganraeboutique.com. New arrivals are available to shop online each week, and our size range has doubled. Size inclusivity has always been important to me. With our new platform, styles range from size XS to XXL!
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: show up and support each other. No matter what your niche is, there is plenty of space for all of us to be successful. I like to keep myself surrounded by women who are ahead of the game, who challenge me to improve and are true to themselves. As they say, “If you are the smartest person in the room yo need to find another room.
PRIDE POOLS, SPAS & LEISURE PRODUCTS INC. Savannah: 912.927.3957 • Claxton: 912.739.2230 pridepools.com
THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IS: quality customer service with a well-trained, dedicated and knowledgeable staff. We believe in family values, which carries over to our staff – our extended family.
WE DON’T JUST: sell pools and hot tubs. We are your one-stop shop for all your “BACKYARD. FAMILY. FUN.” needs, which includes chemicals, maintenance items, grills and accessories, toys, games, coolers, outdoor living essentials and much more.
OUR BUSINESS FUNDAMENTALS: for 47 years has been focused on and rooted in “LOCAL” – building LOCAL relationships, providing LOCAL customer service and offering a LOCAL service department.
OUR MISSION IS TO: adhere to and live by PRIDE: Personalized service, Readiness to serve, Intelligent product knowledge, Dedication and Enthusiasm to go the extra mile.
SAVANNAH BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS LLC 912.436.6789 • 310 Eisenhower Drive, Building 5 savannahbehavioralpediatrics.com
MY MISSION: is to expand access to the highest quality psychological assessment and treatment services for children and families struggling with developmental, behavioral or learning challenges. At Savannah Behavioral Pediatrics, we aim to change behavior and change lives.
OUR CLIENTS CHOOSE US BECAUSE: our commitment and dedication to children and families is evident in everything we do. Whether we are conducting an assessment or providing therapy, we take the time to tailor our approach to ensure that what we do makes a positive difference in the lives of children and their families.
I’M THANKFUL FOR: my amazing team of psychologists and therapists. y practice is filled with a tr ly remarka le ro p of women who are as passionate about helping children and families as they are talented.
MY MISSION: is to create beautiful art work through my camera lens for your walls, websites and beyond. At the Bull Street Light Room, we provide a creative space for photographers, videographers, events and small art exhibitions.
MY MOTTO: is an imperfect action beats a perfect inaction. I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: are motivated, creative, kind and confident in themselves and their actions.
I’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT: you don’t want to burn bridges, so be impeccable with your words. Admit your faults.
MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION IS: a mother of one amazing 11-year-girl and wife to a very supportive husband of 17 years!
I LEAD BY: example and positive reinforcement.
SAVANNAH SQUARE SENIOR LIVING 912.921.8002 • 1 Savannah Square Drive savannahsquareretirement.com
MY MISSION: is to help seniors and their families navigate the aging process and give them loving and knowledgeable advice when they are deciding to leave their homes and join retirement living.
MY CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: I am genuine. I give from the heart and do it with humility and grace.
WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: I spend time with my husband and two rescue dogs. We love the ocean and time on the water. love fitness r nnin and am tryin allroom dancin .
I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: being involved in senior-related organizations such as Coalition on Aging and raising money or he l heimer s ssociation like participatin in the 2022 Dancing Stars of Coastal Georgia on May 21.
TO SUCCEED, YOU MUST: learn from others. If you are the smartest one at the ta le find another ta le.
STATE FARM AGENCY 912.354.6464 • 3228 Skidaway Road ericaSF.com
MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN THAT: State Farm agents are small business owners and each location is independently owned. We are backed with a national brand and financial stren th t when it comes to o r team we are local and give back to the local community.
TYPICAL DAYS IN THE OFFICE: don’t exist. No two are the same. I enjoy meeting with my customers to make sure that they are financially protected in the event o a claim. o may think that s my o t most cons mers do not know what their covera e limits are on their policies. e o er a wide variety o prod cts and services to meet cons mer s needs a to fire li e health and bank.
I AM THANKFUL FOR: our customers and my team who allow me to do what love every day. Helpin people is my passion and this pro ession allows me to do that.
STONELORDS (ART, APPAREL AND DESIGN STUDIO) 415 Whitaker St. stonelords.com
MY MISSION: is to create an intersection between fashion and art.
I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: run with the wolves.
WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: I’m on the road sourcing new materials findin new lines or seekin inspiration.
ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME: to keep it simple.
THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED WAS: whatever yo create make it honest and a thentic co rtesy o my late riend and painter ark einer.
I’M MOST PROUD OF: launching the art and design studio component o the siness.
MY PERFECT DAY INCLUDES: oin to aney ontemporary or the el air then ettin a ite or cocktail at ere rine or ar lian.
SAVANNAH SEAFOOD SHACK 912.344.4393 • 116 E. Broughton St. savannahseafoodshack.com
MY MISSION: is to provide fin er lickin sea ood that is easily accessi le and a orda le.
MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: is ein a momma ho sekeeper cha e r event coordinator che and storyteller to my two ama in kids. eel like more eyes are on emale siness owners when people reali e they have a amily. have to work harder and smarter.
THE SECRET TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS: is listenin to yo r c stomers. ake notes when they call or email yo . onitor all o yo r social media posts or comments. ead the reviews on third party sites. e committed to hearin and learnin rom eed ack.
WE DECIDED THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR: avannah ea ood hack to ranchise. ter e periencin o r most s ccess l year in we are e cited to rin o r owco ntry c isine nationwide thro h a ranchisin partnership with ransmart the leadin ranchise development company or emer in rands.
TIMS BIKES, BEACH & DISC GOLF 912.786.TIMS (8467) • NORTH: 1101 E. US 80, Tybee Island SOUTH: 1510 Butler Ave., Tybee Island • timsbeachgear.com
MY MISSION: is to showcase a vibrant, hassle-free experience on Tybee Island, a place I have come to love and call home. In addition to cruiser bikes, we also rent beach chairs and umbrellas and baby gear. We’ve also added retail shops at both our locations, offering unique, quality beach accessories and disc golf gear. Visiting or local, come by and see us!
MY MOTTO: is luck happens when preparation meets opportunity. Don’t sit and hope for your dreams; go after them.
I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: not be afraid to take calculated risks. I left a career as COO of a successful multimillion-dollar company to y a ike shop in order to find the el sive work life balance. Scary decision? Yes, of course; but you have to follow what is right for you at each stage of life. It was a wonderful decision, as I’m now completely ensconced in helping to directly grow, support and enhance the community in which I live and work.
PAINTED SKY STUDIO 912.247.8922 • 308 W. Saint Julian St., Studio FNU-104 lisarosenmeier.com
VINCENT VAN GOGH SAID IT BEST: “Your profession is what you’re put here on Earth to do, with such passion and intensity that it ecomes spirit al in callin . was called to e a fine artist.
THE BEST QUESTION I WAS EVER ASKED: was by Kathy Cieslewicz, director and art curator of the Sears Art Museum: “Why do you paint?” I continue to use that question to challenge me to look deep inside, to grow and develop as an artist.
MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO LEARN: that I don’t have an art degree. The clarity of my style and complexity of the meaning behind my work would lead you to believe otherwise.
MY ART STYLE IS: realistration. It’s primarily a fusion of traditional realism while embracing the contour lines of illustration. However, the meaning in my work lies beyond the o vio s ima e yo see at first lance.
FULL BLOOM SALON & DRY BAR (Formerly Hustle & Blow Dry Bar) 912.346.6021 • 105 Grand Central Blvd., Ste. 104, Pooler fullbloomsalonanddrybar.com • @fullbloomsalon
FULL BLOOM IS: an eco-luxe salon built on sustainability and elevated service. e are a comm nity space filled with passionate and evolvin visionaries speciali in in hair and cosmetic ea ty.
THE BEST BUSINESS DECISION I EVER MADE: was to y a salon even tho h was only years old. ith the help o my sta and the s pport o my amily and riends shi ted the siness model rom a dry ar to a ll service salon with a heavier oc s on o r colorin services.
I KNEW I WANTED TO: move the salon to ooler and re rand as ll loom when reali ed we had rown eyond what had ima ined was possi le. t was time or o r rand to re ect that rowth as well as o r commitment to the environment. e like to think o o rselves as a loom to ottle salon so ll loom st made sense. e cannot wait or o r c rrent and t re clients to see the new space this sprin and e perience everythin that ll loom has to o er
TC FEDERAL BANK 912.663.7826 • 105 W. Congress St. tcfederal.com
MY MISSION: is to promote the vision and core values that TC Federal Bank has built during the past 88 years. Our rich history and tradition of trust guides us to better understand our consumer and siness clients y helpin them reach their financial oals.
MY MOTTO: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” – Dr. Seuss
MY CLIENTS DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: I have been in banking in Savannah for 17 years. My longstanding career has stemmed from my delivery of strong customer service and simply doing the right thing for the client, the community and the bank.
I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: serving on the boards of the American Red Cross and Junior Achievement. I am also involved with the Emerging Leadership Council, Savannah Jaycees and am a candidate for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s 2022 National All-Star Man and Woman of the Year Campaign.
Sherry’s Honey Pot Fabric, manager/designer
MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION IS: certified m ltitasker. y most rewardin o is ein a mother to two sweet and sp nky irls and a wi e to a reat man. y other roles incl de event plannin helpin my mother herry with a ric and desi n and my sister ha i with coachin her cheer teams. love every min te o it
Sherry’s Honey Pot Fabric, owner • 912.777.4532
MY MOTTO: think can. think can. think can. –The Little Engine That Could I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: pport each other and their sinesses while ildin their amilies. y irls have each created their own sinesses ha i and arvee here in avannah and helsea in orth arolina . heir incredi le work ethic and devotion to amily are some o the many reasons why m so very pro d o them
Crowned Elite Athletics, owner/cheer professional; FIT Gym Savannah and Train Me 24/7, co-owner; DanceCheerMove, owner/choreographer • 912.308.5719
MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION IS: om m a om to one o the coolest sweetest and cra y talented year olds know. Her ad and love en oyin o r time watchin her row. m also a wi e to a wonder l h s and and ather. s a coach and ym owner with my h s and rew take on a motherly role to more than athletes as well. ein a mother is the est o ve ever had and take pride in that daily
In March, members of the
Area Realtors gathered to celebrate the Distinguished Sales Society, Realtors who had $1 million or more in sales, a minimum of eight transactions and participated in at least two community service efforts. What followed was a roaring good time!
DARREN BAGLEY-HEATH G. ALAN BLEVINS
ALISA ARMS
KARLE ANSARA-MILBAUGH
MONIKA BRYANT ANNA MARIE BUNTON
BERTHENIA BROWN
KIMBERLY BOUSQUET
LACHANDRA BODISON
LAURA CARNES CELAYA LESLIE CLIFTON SHINN
ELAINE CECCACCI
ROBERT CALLAWAY
BROOKE BURNS GRAHAM
SUZANNE CURRY
TIFFANY DAVIS
RACHAEL COLLINS
GEMMA COLLINS
MOLLY COHEN
PAT GALLAGHER
NICK GARNER
SAM V. FLORANCE JR.
LAURIE ANN FLORANCE
SUE EDWARDS
Savannah
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHOT BY SOMI STUDIOS
PRESENTED BY SAVANNAH AREA REALTORS
SHELLY LAMONICA DELORES LAWRENCE
TARI HORNICK
ALI GRAHAM
RACHEL GOSETTI
TOMECA MCPHERSON DUANE MILLER
PIA LYNN
CHRIS LEE
NICOLETTE LEASA
BROOKE RANDOLPH RANDI RHINE
SARAH POUNDERS
BRANDY O’NEIL
CINDY OGLETREE
ALLIE RUGGIERI
JAHZIEL SOTO
HEATHER ROPER
SAMANTHA ROGERS
CATHY RODGERS
RENEE WILLIAMS
SEAN WILLIAMS
MONICA WILLIAMS
ANN TOHILL
NICK SUBRYAN
ERIN WIPPER CLINE WOOTEN
CHRISTOPHER WIPPER
AMIE WINE
RICK WILLS
PRESENTED BY SAVANNAH AREA REALTORS
38 YEARS
Cathy Butler Gregory
Deborah Padilla
35 YEARS
Reba Laramy
34 YEARS
Michael Steven Fischer Helen Miltiades
31 YEARS Robin Lance
29 YEARS
Maureen Simmons
27 YEARS
Patricia Bishop
26 YEARS
Tommy Danos Cheryl Klein
25 YEARS
Michele Gutting
Judith McDougal
24 YEARS
Melinda Bailey
Janice Hoffman
Lyn McCuen
23 YEARS Sharon Miller Bill Miltiades
22 YEARS
Dianne Dunford Diane Kessler
Jessica Pettigrew James R. Presnell Jennifer Scroggs
21 YEARS
Mary Ann Forrester
19 YEARS
Christine Q. Durrence Keith L. Gay Sandi Idleman
Jeri Patrick Judy Quinney
18 YEARS
Rebecca M. Hadwin Karen Hewitt
Ruthie Seese
17 YEARS
Jessica Kelly Alicia Novak
Rodney Rawls
Sabriya Scott
16 YEARS
Jeanette “Jenny” Hearn
Melanie Kramer
Beth Cribbs Larson
Cindy Meyer
Heather Murphy
Janie Sandefur
Mary Ann Sinclair
Mary H. Smith
Traci Wells
15 YEARS
George Cohen Sandra Davis
Marie Houben
Ronald C. Melander
Vicki C. Mitchell
Wendy Reed
14 YEARS
Sue Anderson
Fran Belloir
Tina Boaen
Monica Cerrone
Teresa Cowart
Darla Davis
Patricia Ewaldsen
Carolyn Ezelle
Lee Ann Marsh
Christina McIntosh
Michael O’Connor
Kimberly Rahn
Melissa Stanford
Luann Zorn-Zipperer
13 YEARS
Donna Davis
Alison Harris
Johnny Odom
Becki Patterson
Annie Rockwell
Lavinia Strong
Karen H. Thomas
12 YEARS
Ben Barksdale
Renee Dunn
Beth Forkner
Kelly Johnson
Bradford Page
Cynthia H. Parker
Tara M. Robinson
11 YEARS
Christine Burriss
Helen W Johnson
Sherry L. Murphy
Isia D. Orr
Lisa V. Ortiz
Emily Pigman
Beth Quigley-Ferensik
Scott Shippy
Nancy Stanley
2-9 YEARS
Donna K. Abbott
Christopher Abramoski
Janet Adams
LaWanda J. Allen
Angela Anderson
Mary Anderson
Jessica Arledge
Daphne Baron
Monica Beadleston
Mario Bennett
Kelly Bittinger
Sharon Black
Jade Bone
William E. Boyd
Jill W. Brooks
Sharon Brookshire
Kristin Brookshire-Brown
Heather Capallo
Virginia “Ginna” Carroll
Kappy Chisholm
Nicole L. Christie
Jodi Clark
Farrell Click
Donna Cole
Kenisha Coleman
Virginia Cook
Quintin L. Cowart
Jenefer Crim
Jennifer Crumpton
Susan Dailey
Paige Dickey
Trudi Dockstader
Tom Dorsey
Christina Dozier
Butch Durrence
Katie Durrence
Lindsae Echols
Michelle Edwards
Kathrin Egner
Ricky Eilerman
Steve Ellis
Christine L. Estridge
Angela Evanofski
Julie Evans
Kathy Fairchild
Monica A. Farnsworth
Amy Feith
Erica Ferrell
Brooker C. Forkin
Lynn M. Fritts
Hisham Q. Furqan
Eileen Galves
Anne Gantt
Jimmy Grayson
Alma Greene
Ashley Gold
Amy Gutting
Julie Hales
Tasha Hall
Stephanie L. Hamilton
Heather Hammond
Lisa A. Harris
Katie Hart
Kaitlyn Hartsock
Veronica Hayes-Osborne
Carol Anne Hazelman
Susan Hill
Shannon Hornick
Tamika Y. Houston
Shannan Hunt
Joseph Iannacone
Joyce Jarrell
Jennifer M. Johnson
Nicki Johnson
Bonnie M. King
Stephanie Kirchner
Carl Knudsen
Melissa Kobi
Carie Kuhn
Tonya L. LaBonte
Sharita Lal
Boomer Lee
Melinda Jamail Lee
Ruthie Lynah
Beth Lynah-Vickers
Angel Macaulay
Jessica MacDonald
Mertha Maddox
A. Joseph Marshall
Ashley McCall
Bonnie McGee-Whittle
Lynette Messer
Realtors who had $1 million or more in sales, a minimum of eight transactions and participated in at least two community service efforts.
Karen Miller
Kimberly Miltiades
Ilonia Renee Mitchell
Chris Moncrief
Anny L. Montenegro
Christy Moore
Andresa Mueller
Whitney Norwood
Chelsey O’Herron
Becky Orsi
Yolanda Owens
Paulette Parker
Alicja Patel
Kimberly Pelletier
Rachel Peterson
NeColette Pinckney
Stephen Polsinelli
Jill Poole
Ashley Brooke Powell
Cindy Presnell
Linda Proctor
Jenn Rabon
Penny Rafferty
Jeffrey Rayno
Suzanne Roberts
Lana Sanders
Tommy Sandford
Jill Sapp
Georgine Scott
Ivan Shalavuta
John Michael Sheahan
Beverly P. Sheppard
Joe Shields
Craig Simpson
Cynthia C. Sinclair
Angie Smith
Debra Smoak
Joel Solomon
Paul Stanford
Scottie Starling
Aubrey Storie
Brett Strickland
Shelley Stringer
Michael J. Stubbs
Trey Swain
Angel Thomas
Karyn Thomas
Kevin Thomas
LaTashia Thomas
Gail Toler
Russell Toler
Marti LeMaire Tomlin
Tracie S. Tomlinson
Susan Tran Garrison
Laurie H. Tyran
Kristy Valdez
Connie VanHook Gallo
Nazira Sayaf Waldo
Karen Walton
Eddie Warren
Rebecca Wayman
Kelli Weis
Alice D. Werntz
Marge Wester
Akia White
Amber Nicole Williams
Jeanie L. Williams
Tiffany Wolfe
Gena Wright
Sonny Wright
Elsie Yu
20 YEARS Matthew Buck Staci Donegan Toni Hardigree Brandy Jenkins Mary Mosher Linda Novack Judy O’Neill Dena Rodewolt Angel Williams Michael Winn 10 YEARS Leighel Savanna Snyder Anastasia Mamais Phillips Steffany Farmer Sheila Doney Carmen Cribbs Jane Beare
Drawing upon the natural beauty and unique charm of the Coastal Georgia and South Car olina region, Southern Coastal Weddings offers an elevated and authentic view of the region’s wedding culture … ever after, circa now.
Available at shopsavannahmagazine.com
FEB. 26
Style and substance: The 42nd annual ball was one of the most successful galas in the museum’s history, according to director Benjamin T. Simons.
The annual gala for the American Heart Association raised funds for cutting-edge research, science, technology and more.Liz Fiegle, Kate Hodges Amanda Stewart, Brian Stewart Dr. Ryan Reeves, Jennifer Moseley
MAR. 11 – 12
Green-Meldrim House set an enchanting, apropos backdrop for a festive Friday evening at the Savannah Antiques & Architecture Weekend. On Saturday, attendees gathered for a fun (and informative) luncheon.
After a two-year hiatus, the annual childhood cancer research fundraiser returned in-person. It also proved successful — Catie’s Gathering Savannah raised $188,825, the highest total ever.
The 12th annual Chefs and Chocolate celebrates (and fundraises for) Urban Hope, all in delicious fashion.
FEB. 11
This year’s cadre of trailblazers honored at the event included Circa Lighting founder and president Gale Singer.
ANYONE WHO HAS LIVED 88 YEARS probably has a few good tales, but some have such a rich history you may wonder if their stories are pulled from the pages of a book rather than memory. Capt. Jack Flanigan has lived such a life. Most Savannahians know Flanigan as the white-bearded man donning a captain’s hat who, along with his former wife Belinda, opened The Crab Shack in the early 1980s. As the story goes, the property was originally a fish camp where the Flanigans ran an in-shore and off-shore fishing charter that organically — and somewhat unintentionally — transformed into an iconic restaurant.
Friends of the fish camp became the Crab Shack’s first and most loyal customers, and word-of-mouth, a 1995 write-up in The New York Times by eventual Pulitzer-Prizewinning journalist Rick Bragg and a place on a number of “Best of” lists have made the restaurant a tourist destination.
“I had heard that there’s more money selling seafood than there is trying to catch it,” Flanigan says with a chuckle. In this case, he wasn’t wrong.
Written by ANDREA GOTO // PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATIE M C GEE
To say Flanigan is involved in the business is an understatement. He lives on the expansive property and monitors the comings and goings from more than 50 cameras. He also confers with the restaurant’s general manager “a lot more times than daily.” He considers the restaurant’s employees his family and promises he’s going to work there until the day he dies.
The start of his life, though, looked a lot different, beginning nearly 2,000 miles away in a town near a Navajo Nation Native American reservation in Arizona. His mother, a nurse on the reservation, relocated there from upstate New York upon contracting tuberculosis. Her doctors urged her to move to a dry climate and there she met Flanigan’s father, a rancher.
“I could speak Navajo and Hopi before I could speak English,” Flanigan says, though he admits he can’t remember a word of it today.
He enlisted in the Air Force during the Korean War, but his “poor color perception” prevented him from flying. After acing an IQ test administered by the military, Flanigan became a mechanic — and a card-carrying member of Mensa. He was stationed at Hunter Army Airfield and deployed twice, once to Morocco. “That was as far away from Korea as I could get,” he recalls, “so I thought that would be a good place to be.”
Flanigan enjoyed visiting Tybee Island while he was enlisted and remembers how back then Tybee opened on Memorial Day and closed on Labor Day. “Summertime, they were wide open,” he says. “They were open all night long, all week long.” He tells the story of the police raid to confiscate the illegal gambling machines that were popular on Tybee. The island folks stalled the police by opening the swing bridge, loaded up all the gambling machines, and, as soon as the bridge closed, they crossed over to the mainland as the police came onto Tybee. “But I wouldn’t swear to that,” Flanigan adds. “I wasn’t there.”
After leaving the service, Flanigan found himself in the center of Savannah’s thriving nightlife. He started out on Bay Street with a place he owned called The Anchorage and would go on to acquire a number of other nightclubs and bars that those more along in their years might remember fondly, like Someplace Else bar on River Street, Hard Hearted Hannah’s on Bay Street, The Park Lane Lounge on Abercorn Street and Anton’s on Broughton Street.
When asked what downtown was like during the 1960s, Flanigan says vaguely, “It was a whole lot different. You had people who ran things.” He pauses, then adds, “Let’s just say you had to ask certain people if you… wanted things.”
Flanigan appears to be referring to organized crime — its presence in Savannah might not be well-recorded, but it does seem to be well-remembered by a number of people who owned businesses during the ’60s and ’70s. “I have to be careful what I say to reporters,” he adds.
But what Flanigan can say is worth its weight in Lowcountry boil. “I’d like to tell the story of Savannah the way it was,” Flanigan says. “Because life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes.”
Maybe so, but here’s to the stories that live on.
“I’d like to tell the story of Savannah the way it was. Because life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes.”
