Small Business Brings Big Impact

Small Businesses Bring Big Impact

Thingamabobs thrives in Ardmore

BY LISA SAVAGE

Growing up in Ardmore, Sandy Johnson loved to shop downtown.

It was bustling with businesses like Helen’s Dress Shop and the Casual Shop. Through the years, more storefronts emptied. Years later, it was her goal to open her own business and help return more life to downtown.

She opened Thingamabobs, an eclectic store featuring antiques and unique items, three years ago. At least 10 vendors also have booths at Thingamabobs, which is one of many businesses thriving in downtown. Access to high-speed internet is one reason for success.

“It’s making a big difference,” Johnson says. “Everything I do, from operating the cash register to using Facebook for promotions, depends on high-speed internet.” Ardmore Telephone continues to expand fiber internet, which means faster, more reliable service, especially in the downtown area.

A PROUD BUSINESS OWNER

For years, Johnson took care of her family. Her sons, involved in sports at Ardmore High School, kept her busy. But finding a job after they were grown was a challenge.

“After being a stay-at-home mom for so long, it was hard to find a job,” she says. “Everybody wanted somebody with experience.” She set up a booth to sell antiques and other items at Serendipity Antique Mall in Athens and thought she might start her own business in Ardmore. She already sold Pampered Chef products.

Her daughter-in-law helped come up with the catchy name Thingamabobs. It’s the perfect name for the unique store on Ardmore Avenue. Johnson offers a little bit of everything, including antiques and shabby chic home decor. She acquires inventory from auctions, estate sales and thrift stores. People often bring her items they think might catch her interest. “It’s true that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” she says.

THE FACES OF ARDMORE

There were a lot of changes in the years between Johnson’s childhood and those of her children. Her boys didn’t experience the fun of shopping downtown because many of the stores were empty. That’s why Johnson considered it important to help bring some life back to downtown. She joined the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce and actively helps with festivals and other special events downtown.

There’s the Vintage Market in June, the Crepe Myrtle Festival in August and the Tinsel Trail during the Christmas holidays. “We want to have events and activities that draw people to Ardmore,” Johnson says.

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

Ronny Cornelison became involved for much the same reason as Johnson. He loved the town and wanted to keep its heritage alive. He retired from General Motors and bought a building in downtown Ardmore on the Alabama side to open up a computer shop five years ago. He still hasn’t opened that computer shop, but he has made quite a mark with a premier event venue, Ardmore Station.

Cornelison also serves as the president of the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce. It’s a volunteer position, and working to bring Ardmore back to some of its former glory is one of his passions.

A few businesses had been in downtown Ardmore for years when Cornelison began work on his building, but there were several vacant spaces. “I was up there at night working on my building, and I’d notice people looking in the windows of the vacant buildings,” he says. “I knew there was some interest in some of those buildings, so we started seeing what we could do to promote Ardmore.”

Traffic counts show 10,000 vehicles travel on Main Street each day, including an average of 5,000 daily on Ardmore Avenue. “We have a lot of traffic, and that’s a good start,” he says. “We want to make sure those people have a reason to stop in and visit our stores.”

Cornelison established the Facebook page Ardmore Rewound, which has a lot of information about Ardmore in both states. This action prompted him to research and learn more about the history of the community.

He’s always looking for photos that reflect Ardmore’s history. One image from about 1928 gives a vantage point from the Tennessee line looking south on the Bee Line Highway, one of the first paved roads in the area. “They started in Ardmore and Athens and met in the middle,” he says of the construction.

He says the old train depot came down in 1974, but the railroad remains a big part of Ardmore’s history. “That’s the reason Ardmore is here,” he says. “We have a lot of history, and we need to reflect on that history to continue to grow. That will sustain us into the future.”