The Style Issue
Find Your People This Fall.
Life is better in community— and this fall, there’s a group for you.
Whether you’re navigating a major life change or just looking for people to grow with, our fall groups are a place to be known, encouraged, and strengthened in your faith.
FEATURED GROUPS FOR FALL 2025
Single Mothers Group
Sundays at 10:30AM - Noon | Sept. 14 – Dec. 14
Raising kids on your own? You don’t have to do it alone. Join other single moms for support, friendship, and faithfilled encouragement.
BETTERMAN – Men’s Group
Mondays, 6:30–8PM | Oct. 6–Nov. 10
A welcoming space for men—whether you’re deep in your faith or just starting to explore. Learn God’s design for manhood and grow alongside other guys.
Cost of Materials: $20
Family Discipleship Classes
Wednesdays, 6 – 8PM | Oct. 29–Nov. 19
Discover how to lead your family spiritually. These 4 weeks include large-group teaching and small-group discussion to help you make the most of everyday moments and milestones with your loved ones.
Cancer Support Group
1st & 3rd Tuesdays | 6:30 – 8:30PM | Ongoing
Whether you’re battling cancer or walking alongside someone who is, you’re not alone. Find hope, prayer, and shared strength in this Christ-centered group.
GriefShare
Sundays, 3:00–4:30PM | Sept. 14–Dec. 7
Healing from loss is hard—but healing in community helps. Connect with others who understand the pain of grief and discover the comfort and hope God provides. Join anytime.
Cost of Materials: $20
DivorceCare
Thursdays, 6:30–8PM | Aug. 21–Dec. 4
Divorce wasn’t part of your plan—but you don’t have to walk through it alone. This group offers real support from people who’ve been there. Join anytime
Cost of Materials: $20
Natural,
Voted Best of South Carolina 2025 Medspas, Skin Care Specialists, Hair Removal Specialists, and Estheticians
Please welcome our injector, Brenna Gibson, MS, FNP-C, CANS to the Aiken Medical Aesthetics Team!
Now offering platelet derived growth factors (PDGF), a natural solution for undereye aging, hair thinning/hair loss, and aging, compromised skin.
Happy Anniversary, Aiken City Lifestyle!
Time flies when you're having fun—it’s hard to believe we’re celebrating three years of Aiken City Lifestyle! I still remember scrambling to put the final touches on our very first Style issue, and now here we are wrapping up our third. It’s been a fantastic ride filled with stories that inspire, inform and make us laugh. Some things never change—like the last-minute hustle to hit deadlines—but I’m lucky to be surrounded by a cre ative team I love working with: Nikita Hanif, CD McAvoy, Ashley Elvis, Rebecca Judy and Jessica Crandall Lawrence.
Style begins at home, and this month we visit Kelley Appliance and Home Store where a family legacy meets modern design. What started as an appliance shop has grown into a thoughtfully curated destination for furnishings, mattresses and expert advice—driven by a deep commitment to community and quality.
We also share time with Aiken artist, Lisa Anne Tindal, whose soulful, faithdriven portraits invite viewers to feel seen, heard and healed. Our conversation began as an interview and became something more—a quiet exchange of stories, vulnerability and hope. Her art is a powerful reminder that creativity can be protest, prayer and a path to healing.
You’ll also meet style icon John Truex, co-founder of Lambertson Truex, who now calls Aiken home. From the fashion runways of New York to the trails of Hitchcock Woods, he brings timeless craftsmanship and quiet luxury to every bag. His story is one of elegance, passion and a deep love for this community.
And finally, we spotlight Family Pharmacy, where healthcare feels personal. Owned by Aiken natives Brandi and Stuart Johnson, the pharmacy blends professional care with genuine connection—and even a few tail wags from their fourlegged greeters. It’s a story about legacy, love and keeping community at the heart of it all.
On a personal note, I recently learned my summer uniform—Madras plaid shorts and a Lacoste polo—is back in style! A kind stranger downtown complimented my “stylish” look, and I had to laugh. Those shorts are older than my kids, but I always knew if I held on long enough, they’d come back around.
Enjoy the issue—we’ll see you next month!
GAYLE BRYAN, PUBLISHER @AIKENCITYLIFESTYLE
PUBLISHER
Gayle Bryan | gayle.bryan@citylifestyle.com
PUBLICATION DIRECTOR
Nikita Hanif | nikita.hanif@citylifestyle.com
PUBLISHER ASSISTANT
Carolyn McAvoy | carolyn.mcavoy@citylifestyle.com
COPY EDITOR
Ashley Elvis
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Nikita Hanif, Jessica Crandall Lawrence
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Rebecca Judy, Gayle Bryan, Brent Cline
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
COO Matthew Perry
CRO Jamie Pentz
VP OF OPERATIONS Janeane Thompson
VP OF SALES Andrew Leaders
AD DESIGNER Evan Deuvall
September 2025 Visit our Instagram
LAYOUT DESIGNER Antanette Ray
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Brandy Thomas
Learn how to start your own publication at citylifestyle.com/franchise.
Braithwaite McMillian Grimes - Injury Attorneys and Counselors at Law, LLC serves the entire CSRA with more than 40 years of combined experience. Our attorneys are former prosecutors, public defenders, and insurance attorneys that use their experience to help clients find creative solutions to difficult problems and deliver results in Personal Injury, DUI, Criminal, Motor Vehicle Accident, Commercial Trucking, and Nursing Home Neglect or Negligence cases. Attorneys Licensed in SC and GA.
city scene
1: Our partner, Aiken Transport Express, were participants at the Taste of Aiken. 2: This group enjoyed an awesome meal at Electric Eats! 3: Bringing all the hits to Amp the Alley! 4: This group of friends was all smiles as they celebrated a birthday! 5: Bringing the heat to the Aiken Farmers Market. 6: Robbie always takes such great care of us at Electric Eats! 7: This pup struck the perfect pose in The Alley. Camera ready!
Photography by CD McAvoy, Nikita Hanif and Gayle Bryan
LISA ANNE Tindal
The very best interviews aren’t really interviews at all but a kinder, quieter communion of hearts. That truth revealed itself to me a few weeks ago over breakfast at La Parisienne, seated across from Aiken artist Lisa Anne Tindal. Our table carried two steaming chai lattes and two decadent strawberry-cream cheese croissants, the sweetness a gentle accompaniment to a conversation that unfolded not as writer and subject but as two sisters catching up. What began as a profile turned swiftly into camaraderie, an unplanned weaving of stories, wounds and redemption fueled with the soft spirit of two women moving from shadow toward light.
Tindal’s journey into painting began almost by accident. As she immersed herself in the margins of her Bible, she began to draw quiet portraits of women emerging from Scripture, each line guided by her own breath and prayer. “It felt like God was leading my hand,” she told me. Those initial sketches led to deeper artwork, and soon she found herself driven to paint women, female faces that stare back at you long after you’ve stepped away. When I’d first seen her work, I remember feeling drawn into the painting
CONTINUED >
Soulful Brush Strokes from Aiken’s Quiet Corners
ARTICLE BY NIKITA HANIF PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBECCA JUDY
as though each portrait was looking into my soul. For me, just like countless others, Tindal’s paintings don’t just sit on canvas. They beckon, and they also heal.
Over chai and pastry, we uncovered a thread of kinship: both of us had spent years shrinking, hiding our light, fearing exposure. Tindal, like I, endured seasons when it felt safer to stay silent, small, unseen. Our self-esteems bore battle scars accrued over childhood, through teenage years, into adulthood. But with Tindal, my mask felt comfortable to drop. Her ease and authenticity invited my own vulnerability and façade to melt away in the presence of her unwavering acceptance.
And that, in many ways, is the reaction her art was created to inspire.
Tindal describes her work as “my own form of rebellion.” It’s a refusal to fade into the background, a pursuit of truth that counters defeatism. Through decades of painting, including abstracts and commissions, she’s remained faithful to the calling she believes God has placed on her life to paint women, illuminating their struggle, their strength and their inherent beauty.
There’s a softness to Tindal that allows others to feel seen, and her art does that, too. You can sense it in the brush strokes that coax your eyes inward, searching for your own hurt, then leading you gently out of darkness. The women she paints hold a knowing kindness. They honor trauma, but they also testify to the hope birthed in overcoming it.
Even though Tindal has poured her soul into painting for years, there have been moments when giving up seemed easier. Like many artists, she’s faced the quiet whisper of doubt. But each time, she heard and obeyed God’s inner nudge to keep going. And she remembered the women in her family, relatives who embodied resilience in the face of hardship. Their strength still echoes in her voice, fueling her own determination.
That legacy of grit woven through childhood stories and generational triumph anchors Tindal’s work. It reminds her that when she sits in front of canvas, she isn’t alone. She carries a chorus of female ancestors, each imperfect and beautiful and each refusing to relent.
“I feel that the message in Tindal’s journey is that creativity is courage. Painting isn’t just self-expression . It’s protest. It’s prayer. It’s permission for others to rise. Her canvas becomes a platform for weary women to gather and to recognize they are not alone.”
This time spent at La Parisienne was unlike any other interview I’ve had the pleasure of doing. My writer’s notebook lay forgotten and blank, set aside in favor of raw, real connection. What would have been pre-planned questions melted into expressed truths. Our hour together concluded not with final notes but with a shared sense of renewal, like stepping away freshly embroidered with hope.
That, too, is the power embedded in Tindal’s art. As visitors encounter her paintings of women with eyes full of story, they respond in kind. They open their hearts, offering pieces of their own brokenness and, in return, receive permission to hope again. Tindal creates an art that speaks into silence a light that meets the dark.
I feel that the message in Tindal’s journey is that creativity is courage. Painting isn’t just self-expression. It’s protest. It’s prayer. It’s permission for others to rise. Her canvas becomes a platform for weary women to gather and to recognize they are not alone.
When we finished our lattes and embraced over friendly goodbyes, I felt something had been renewed inside me. And that’s exactly what Tindal does; she renews souls through color and contour. Her mission-driven paintings declare, “You are seen. You are worthy. You are loved.”
In a world prone to walking quietly, Tindal stands and paints so that silence may be broken, darkness chased away and wounded hearts restored. A rebel with a paintbrush. And for Aiken, she is the quiet revolution we all need.
CONTINUED >
FAMILY
The Heartbeat of Aiken’s Beloved Family Pharmacy
ARTICLE BY NIKITA HANIF | PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBECCA JUDY
Walk into Family Pharmacy, and you’re immediately greeted with something you don’t find everywhere: a warm smile, a familiar face and maybe even a wagging tail. Locally owned and deeply rooted in Aiken, this pharmacy is more than a place to pick up prescriptions; it’s a place where patients become family.
Owned by Aiken natives Brandi and Stuart Johnson, Family Pharmacy is a true labor of love. “Stuart and I were both born and raised here,” Brandi shares. “We’re proud to have gone to the same high school as many of our family members and love giving back to the town that raised us.”
The Johnsons’ days are filled with a joyful whirlwind of work, school sports and quality time with their daughters, Alexandria and Charley Rose. Even their furry family gets in on the action; Copper the Cockapoo and Magnolia the Swiss Doodle are regular fixtures at the pharmacy while rescue kitty, Maralyn, holds down the fort at home.
Family Pharmacy was founded over 35 years ago by Brandi’s father, Jay Watts. Brandi began working there in high school and soon realized she was destined to continue the legacy. Now a PharmD and Pharmacist-inCharge, Brandi wears many hats: leading the team, formulating custom compounds, offering hormone consultations, giving immunizations and even the occasional ear piercing. “I’m involved in almost every prescription that comes through our store,” she says. “It’s about building trust through personal care.”
Stuart’s path to pharmacy was a little different. After years in Aiken law enforcement and earning his law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law, he eventually joined the family business. As Chief Operations Officer and General Counsel, he’s the behind-the-scenes guy handling bookkeeping, legal compliance, HR, purchasing, repairs and even cleaning the bathrooms. “No task is too small when it’s for the business you love,” Stuart laughs.
Their team is truly the secret sauce to their success. Each staff member brings their own passion and skill to create a pharmacy experience that’s efficient, compassionate and uniquely personal.
Emily Russell, PharmD, serves as the Director of Clinical Services. She manages vaccination clinics, collaborates with hospitals, oversees student preceptors and implements clinical programs that improve patient outcomes and support independent pharmacy innovation. Her leadership has also helped shape programs like transitions of care, medication synchronization and partnerships with physicians that allow Family Pharmacy to provide advanced care services.
Ashley Burkhart is the Front End Manager, a Certified Nutrition Coach and a Wellness Consultant. She oversees the Whole Nutrition Shoppe and the entire front-end experience, helping patients with supplements, coordinating special orders and creating wellness consultations. As an Aiken Chamber Ambassador, Ashley also represents the pharmacy at health fairs and community events. She’s the creative force behind the social media presence and the inviting, visually appealing displays that make the pharmacy feel more like a boutique than a clinic.
“I’m involved in almost every prescription that comes through our store. It’s about building trust through personal care.”
Tracie Mims is a longtime pharmacist whose passion lies in compounding. She was instrumental in building Family Pharmacy’s compounding lab and remains the go-to for formulation creation, quality assurance and training. Whether she’s in the lab or consulting with patients, her dedication to precision and excellence ensures every compound is of the highest quality for both people and pets.
Certified Pharmacy Technician and Lead Technician Lacy Green manages the day-today technician operations. She’s responsible for staffing, training, medication packaging, diabetic shoe fittings and coordinating blister packs. She’s a steady and reliable presence behind the counter, solving patient issues and keeping things running smoothly.
Alexx Eckhart also plays a critical role as a Pharmacy Technician and Inventory Specialist. She manages prescription inventory, oversees returns, handles special orders and works with the management team to ensure daily operations are efficient and seamless.
And of course, no team breakdown would be complete without a shout-out to the official morale boosters: Copper and Magnolia. Whether lounging behind the counter or wagging their tails at the front door, these pups bring joy to patients young and old.
What truly sets Family Pharmacy apart is their heart. “Healthcare can be tough,” Brandi admits, “but our family-first approach makes all the difference. Our staff is like family, and our patients are, too. We know your name, your kids, your pets and we want to know how you’re doing.”
The pharmacy balances professionalism with personal attention, ensuring each patient leaves not just with their medication but with peace of mind. From the check-in to check-out process, efficiency meets compassion in a setting that feels more like home than a healthcare facility.
Family Pharmacy also plays a big role in supporting the Aiken community hosting off-site flu clinics, attending health fairs and creating partnerships with local businesses that share their wellness values.
In an age where healthcare often feels impersonal and rushed, Family Pharmacy slows things down and gets personal in the best way possible.
Stop by for expert care, friendly faces and maybe even a tail wag or two. Family Pharmacy isn’t just in Aiken, it’s part of Aiken.
THE POWER OF A SKILLED LOCAL TEAM
The spring is a new opportunity to turn your home from “so-so” to “whoa!” Whether your exterior or interior needs a refresh, we’re the Pros to help you do it right. Let CertaPro Painters® of the CSRA show you the power of transformation. Schedule your FREE on-site or remote estimate today.
Fall is a new opportunity to turn your home from “so-so” to “whoa!” Whether your exterior or interior needs a refresh, we’re the Pros to help you do it right. Let CertaPro Painters® of show you the power of transformation. Schedule your FREE on-site or remote estimate today.
Ask About Certapro’s New Flexible Payment Options
803-295-5160
ASK HOW YOU CAN GET $350 OFF YOUR INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR PAINT JOB!
Each CertaPro Painters® business is independently owned and operated.
Spa Pedicures
ROOTED IN TRADITION, DESIGNED FOR TODAY
ARTICLE BY NIKITA HANIF PHOTOGRAPHY BY GAYLE BRYAN
Stepping into Kelley Appliance and Home Store in Aiken feels like entering a warm, welcoming home designed with thoughtful attention and genuine care. Founded as a branch of a third-generation, family-owned business, Kelley Appliance first opened its doors in Martinez, Georgia, back in 1962. In 2018, Seth Duncan, alongside his partners Zach and Kelley Zapata, decided it was time to bring their family’s legacy closer to home, opening an inviting showroom in Aiken’s Mitchell Shopping Center.
After nearly six successful years, the team sought a more permanent and expansive presence. Purchasing the former Furniture Connection building allowed them not only to settle permanently into Aiken but also to extend their offerings into the realm of home furnishings and mattresses. Duncan emphasizes that the goal was to create “a convenient destination for all things home” from replacing an essential appliance to designing a custom living space that reflects individual tastes.
Quality is the cornerstone of their product selection. Duncan highlights the meticulous process involved in curating their inventory, noting, “We want to offer products that provide exceptional value and durability.” For appliances, Kelley Appliance collaborates closely with local repair companies to ensure they’re
offering brands known for reliability and ease of service. It’s this thoughtful consideration that sets them apart from larger retailers who may prioritize quantity over quality.
The furnishings side of the business follows the same thoughtful philosophy. Their upholstery offerings are bench-made from kiln-dried hardwoods, featuring high-resiliency foam or luxurious down-blend cushions, wrapped in fabrics chosen for both beauty and durability. Dining room tables, bedroom furniture and occasional pieces prioritize solid, enduring hardwood construction. The store’s curated collections seamlessly blend style and longevity, keeping an eye on current design trends that resonate with customers.
Kelley Appliance and Home Store isn’t just a place to shop; it’s an experience defined by exceptional customer care. Their dedicated sales team undergoes rigorous manufacturer training, equipped to expertly guide each customer toward the best solutions for their specific needs and budgets. “We aren’t here just to sell products,” Duncan explains. “We’re here to ensure our customers leave with confidence, knowing they’ve made a choice that suits their lifestyle perfectly.” Even after the sale their commitment continues as they help customers navigate warranty repairs and ensure deliveries are conducted with meticulous care and friendliness.
Aiken homeowners, Duncan notes, have become particularly enthusiastic about recent trends in appliances and home design. Innovative cooking features like air-frying, steaming and sous-vide are captivating local chefs and kitchen novices alike. Meanwhile, furnishing trends lean towards biophilic design, drawing nature indoors through earthy tones like browns, greens and burnt oranges and embracing organic shapes and textures to create comforting, grounding spaces.
Being locally owned is integral to Kelley’s identity. Duncan passionately shares, “Our friends and families live here. We build our lives here. Every purchase made with us supports local jobs and charities and keeps money within our community. Without Aiken’s support, there truly would be no Kelley Appliance.”
His advice for anyone beginning to furnish or update their home speaks volumes about their thoughtful approach: “Start by focusing on how you want a space to feel and function. Prioritize comfort, quality and pieces that genuinely bring you joy.”
At Kelley Appliance and Home Store, every item tells a story of quality, care and community, embodying the warmth and authenticity Aiken residents have come to cherish.
C e l e b r a t i n g O u r
70th Anniversary
D i s c o v e r t h e r i c h h e r i t a g e a n d v i b r a n t
c o m m u n i t y o f t h e A i k e n C o u n t y
F a r m e r s M a r k e t F i n d f r e s h p r o d u c e ,
b a k e d g o o d s , m e a t , h o n e y , a n d f l o w e r s , a l o n g w i t h h a n d m a d e c r a f t s
Y e a r R o u n d
T u e s d a y , T h u r s d a y & S a t u r d a y :
7 : 3 0 - 1 1 : 3 0 A M
1 1 5 W i l l i a m s b u r g S t | ( 8 0 3 ) 2 9 3 - 2 2 1 4
f a r m e r s m a r k e t @ c i t y o f a i k e n s c g o v
A i k e n F a r m e r s M a r k e t c o m
A TIMELESS TOUCH : THE JOURNEY OF LAMBERTSON TRUEX
From New York Runways to Hitchcock Woods, Designer John Truex Brings Timeless Elegance and Quiet Luxury to Aiken’s Style Scene
ARTICLE BY JESSICA CRANDALL LAWRENCE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBECCA JUDY
For luxury handbag designer John Truex, creativity began with a gift—a single leather hide given to him by a friend while studying at the University of Cincinnati. That hide became his first handcrafted bag and marked the beginning of a journey spanning nearly four decades in the fashion industry.
Truex’s design career took off with American icon Carlos Falchi, where he gained firsthand experience in all aspects of the fashion business. He later served as Design Director for Nine West’s CK Calvin Klein division before co-founding Lambertson Truex, a brand celebrated for its clean lines, architectural influence and understated elegance.
“When everyone else was branding bags with oversized logos, we let our work speak for itself,” Truex explains. That commitment to classic design earned the brand a coveted spot in Bergdorf Goodman and eventually a partnership with Tiffany & Co.
So how did this fashion powerhouse land in Aiken? “Horses,” Truex says simply. “I came to ride, and I stayed for the magic of Hitchcock Woods—and for love.” Now a full-time resident, Truex
continues to design for both Lambertson Truex and luxury brand Ghurka while contributing to Aiken’s vibrant style scene. Locals can find his pieces at Curated Clothiers or online at lambertsontruex.com.
With clients ranging from fashion-forward collectors to casual connoisseurs, Lambertson’s designs offer something for everyone from canvas totes to exotic leathers. “Our clients aren’t chasing trends,” he says. “They want something they’ll love for years.”
Whether it’s a classic clutch or a custom three-foot handbag for a couture outfit, each piece is crafted with care, confidence and quiet sophistication. “I want people to feel complete when they carry one of our bags,” Truex shares. “It should complement who they already are.”
From New York runways to Aiken’s winding trails, Lambertson Truex continues to shape the world of accessories—one timeless design at a time.
SEPTEMBER 5TH
Aiken’s Makin’
406 Park Ave SE | 9:00 AM
Discover one-of-a-kind treasures at Aiken’s Makin’, a two-day showcase of handmade goods from across the Southeast. From pottery and jewelry to baked treats and yard art, there’s something for everyone. Stroll the streets starting at 9 AM on September 5 and 6 for a celebration of creativity and craftsmanship.
SEPTEMBER 19TH
From Aiken to Vienna and Back
The Amentum Center for the Performing Arts | 7:30 PM
Journey through sound with From Aiken to Vienna and Back, a Chamber Series concert at the Amentum Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, September 19 at 7:30 PM. Experience an evening of rich musical traditions and intimate performance. Tickets are limited—reserve now and be part of this unforgettable night.
SEPTEMBER 20TH
Fall Color
Container Workshop
Cold Creek Nurseries | 10:00 AM
Get your hands dirty at the Fall Color Container Workshop on September 20 at 10 AM. Create a vibrant cool-season planter with expert guidance, all materials included. Enjoy fall refreshments while designing the perfect porch or patio piece. Space is limited, so grab your garden gloves and claim your spot. $55 per person.
