Looking for Key Staff

A Southern Co. is a vibrant new business located in a refurbished Warehouse in downtown, Huntington, WV.  We are an exciting new lifestyle brand; bringing style & grace to your home & yourself. We recently opened a specialty coffeehouse, Bittersweet, inside our 1950’s Warehouse. And, are currently working on our special events area complete with a beautiful lounge, stage, deck & urban garden. We are creating something special & taking the Tri-State area by storm and are looking for someone to help take our company to the next level.  

 We are currently looking for an Asst. Brand Manager to oversee customer relations, sales & marketing programs. By learning all positions within our organization, the Asst. Brand Manager will create our voice & tone to develop, enhance & grow our Brand to be The Premiere shopping & special event destination in the Region.

 This position would also include interacting with customers, representing our business at certain off-site events, creating visability through social media, marketing &special events.  As well as helping to organize the logistics and systems that we have in place for our Organization.

 

We are a small, but growing company and are looking for someone with a hospitality background, a passion for style & hand crafted items, a sense of community, experience in leading projects, social media expertise; as well as an eagerness to learn--and a desire to offer excellent customer service.

 

This is a great opportunity for someone who is looking to take that next step in the hospitality industry. The person who fills this position must be customer oriented, organized, have the ability to juggle multiple tasks and have a keen eye for detail.

 

We want our employees to grow with us as we grow, thus being a team player is a must as well. Retail, Marketing and/or barista experience a plus. Please send resumes & cover letters to: rita@asouthernco.com 

 

Check out our facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASouthernCo
https://www.facebook.com/bittersweetwv

Giving is Good

And, When it is attached to stylish things, it is better.

Enter, I Know Hope.

We had the wonderful opportunity to attend CoffeeFest this year at the beginning of March in non other but, New York City. There we met Miss Connie Baker. A very unassuming, sweet lady from Fairfield, Ohio. We didn't find exactly what we were looking for at CoffeeFest--but do you ever really find what you want when you are looking for it........ But, we did find, I Know Hope.

Connie Baker, founder of I Know Hope & Ashlee Potter, Asst. Director, A Southern Co.

I Know Hope is a 501c3 organization who's mission is quite simple, "To bring hope to the orphan and the hungry children of the world". One of the way I Know Hope funds its projects is through their beautiful handmade products such as Totes, Wallets, Notebooks and Bags of all sizes crafted from recycled burlap coffee bean sacks that come from all over the world.

A Southern Co. is proud to partner with I Know Hope & Miss Connie Baker by bringing in a collection of these beautiful Bags and such that are really just inspiring. Each are different in their own right with coordinating fabric interiors and are quite functional. By purchasing one of these items, our customers are helping support projects such as breakfast programs, orphanage work, housing projects in Tijuana, Mexico as well as assist in funding orphan adoption grants for children that are in need of a forever family.

Considering we have already sold a few I Know Hope bags, we know that they are a hit with our Southern Family. If you haven't already, come see this beautiful collection exclusively here at A Southern Co. 100% of the profit of these bag sales help Know Hope continue to bring hope to hopeless situations.

To learn more, please contact. www.iknowhope.org.

We are looking for a FEW GOOD (Wo) MEN.......

Now Hiring:

If you’re a fashion lovin’ gal or guy, who wants to work in a fun, sassy, & fabulous environment….Then A Southern Company might be the perfect fit for you. Do you possess good Ol’ Southern Values?? Do you have the kind of “people skills” that can be put to great service for selling the latest in fashion & home furnishings?? Are you creative with a knack for style and would like to have a voice & creative outlet? 

Then You may be just what we are looking for:

We are looking for an Assistant Director aka Southern Assistant  

to assist us with the opening and development of our Warehouse/Storefront.

Our Southern Assistant is second in command at A Southern Company’s

Storefront and will be working in harmony with the manager to fulfill the vision of

our brand. This position is required to have an excellent customer service skill set,

be task-oriented and have the confidence to make independent decisions that

are in-line with A Southern Company’s values. In addition, the Southern Assistant must be self-

motivated & possess a high level of business acumen.  Social Media promotion and/or

experience with Photoshop a plus but not necessary.

The Southern Assistant will help with the direction of A Southern Company and

every phase of the company as it develops. He/She will be an integral part of the

development of this organization

Dedicated hours of approx. 25 hours a week with the option to increase as we

expand our offerings within our Brand to approx. 35 hours a week/depending

Duties may include:

·         General opening/closing procedures

·         Merchandising & Displays

·         Managing of other store personnel

·         Checking in Stock & Inventory

·         On-line store fulfillment & needs

·         Sales Goals attainment & Customer Services objectives

·         Organizing and Managing our Southern Advisory Board

·         Assisting in Social Media promotions & other Marketing endeavors: such as –advertising, special events and fundraisers      

Other Positions we currently need:

The Southern Apprentice aka The Key Holder

The Southern Apprentice will hold keys to our fabulous warehouse. He/She will have many of the same duties as the Southern Assistant and are responsible to uphold all duties as deemed necessary for the position. The Apprentice will work 15-20 hours a week with a customer centric focus to provide an exceptional level of customer service leaving the customer with a shopping “experience” for themselves and their home.  Must be able to work independently, handle multiple tasks at once and have a knack for creativity & enthusiasm. Additional hours will be available as we develop our services to approx. 32 hours a week/depending.  Sales Experience is not required but helpful.

The Southern Understudy aka The Dual Part-Time Help

This Southerner will be holding down the Boutique from 6-10 hours a week and rocking a southern-sassy-vibe. This position is also able to pick up 10-20 hours at the Coffee Shop, once opened & if management approves. Must possess a high-level of energy & commitment. This southerner will report to management after clocking in to receive their duties for their shift:  basic store duties, customer service etc.

If you think A Southern Company would be a good fit for you please forward your resume & the position in which you are interested to: Bethany Childers, VP of Sales & Marketing at bethany@asouthernco.com for consideration.

Act soon: we will be interviewing in a few short weeks.

We are having a Party!

Glam-It-Up Weekend is coming

A Southern Co is hosting a grand glam weekend to put some Style into Your Life and you are invited:

WHEN: December 6th --December 8th....

WHERE: Feather Your Nest Transformation House: 1028 Seventh Street Huntington, WV 25701

This is what the house looks like

What:  By invitation only: GLAM-IT-UP Weekend full of special events daily, giveaways, prizes, food, music, cocktails and just plain ole' fun.

Our Event Menu:

Flaunt Night  Friday, December 6th 6pm..........???

A Special peek at our company & tailored services designed especially with you, the client, in mind. Come join us for cocktails, special discounts and product showcasing. The first 10 clients will receive a special gift. We have an entire house designed with many of our re-purposed furniture pieces and home decor items:  

Here is an example of some of the decor items:

Lamp by Cyan and table by Uttermost

Chest by Four Hands

Party Bucket by The Macbeth Collection 

Mirror cabinet by Uttermost

Book ends by Cyan

Also, Curb Appeal  will be on site. Come take a look and book our vintage 1975 playmor camper that can roll right up to your door with fun & fashion. Great for special events and fund-raisers. Here is a sneak peak:

Color Me Pretty Studio Saturday December 7th 4pm--6pm & 6pm--8pm

Free styling tips, champagne happy hours & music Join us for a evening of deserved pampering.  The highlight will be our make-over giveaways revealed. 1st) Holiday "Up-style"--an accessories give-away to glam up your holiday outfit. 2nd) Grand-Glam  full make-over giveaway worth more than $250.00. A gift from us to you.

Skirt by Black

Shoes by Nicole

Earring by Covet

"Pleather" leggings by Mi Mois'

Headband & Scarf by Golden Stella

Necklace by Citrine

Dress by Black

Pin by Golden Stella

Join us Saturday when it is all about you & grab a piece of glam to add some sparkle and sass to your life.

The Final Proposal Sunday December 8th from Noon--4pm

All good things come to and end.....for now. This is your final chance to schedule appointments with us before we are open to the public.  Enjoy a "Glam-break" and have a cup of coffee or tea with us as we help you pick out unique gifts and one-of a kind items for yourself & your home. Style & Grace wrapped up in a pretty package. Treat yourself or someone you love. Complimentary Gift-wrap available.

Pot holders by Funktion

Tray by Uttermost

Disposable Coasters by Natural Life

Vase by Uttermost

We look forward to seeing you all at our Glam-It-Up Weekend. Come one or all three days...you never know what specials we will be having or what new items we will be presenting.

Love & Glitter,

Rita & Bethany

Need Info: Email: bethany@asouthernco.com, facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASouthernCo

call 304-522-6056 or leave a comment here.

Creating Interest in a Not-So-Interesting Place.

What to do with Hallways and Landings?--Feather Your Nest Transformation

I always say, "Paint is your friend". And, really it is.  If you don't like that end-table anymore, paint it. If you are tried of that terricotta pot, paint it. How do you update or lighten-up a space? Yes, you got it--Paint it!

Meet the drab:

This picture is looking up the staircase, duh, from the first floor to the the second floor landing.  There was a broken stair tread so that had to be replaced.

This is the original plaster wall on the staircase....where the "other" home-owner covered up the need for repair work with wallpaper--then painted over said paper...so this was a lot of fun to remove and see what was underneath....nothing a little plaster-paris couldn't fix.

This brown paint started at the stairway landing and turned the corner all the way to the 2nd floor landing.  It was a cool color but made it all look so dark and gloomy.

Another look at the 2nd Fl landing. This landing truly is the gateway to all of the rooms on the 2nd floor...three bedrooms, and office you see here with blue walls and a bathroom that you can see here in major need of work.  Notice, this is also the first sanding of the hard-wood floor.

Again 2nd floor landing...with tiny, non-descript light fixture.

From the 2nd fl landing down the steps to the first floor.....this is a shot of the wall-paper that is hiding repair work needed underneath. Doesn't look so bad, except the floor....but the paper is quite hideous.

From the stairway looking up to the landing and into the nasty blue bed-room beyond.

Now, the FAB

Funny how creating an interesting wall of paint and some "punch you in the face with color" curtains, instantly changes this space.......well, minus the step-repair seen here that still needed stained.....

This is looking from the 2nd Fl landing down the steps. The stripes were carried from the left side of the wall at the foot of the steps, up the stairway, around the small landing and up the wall to the 2nd Floor landing.

Here is a look at the 2nd floor landing...so much brighter and lighter. The wall is painted medium grey from the same paint as in the stripes. The light fixture is from Shades of Light in Richmond, VA...A big whopping $99.00 for such a statement.  The rug is from Target and holds all the colors of the pallet from everyone that extends from this landing....notice the orange and blue room there in the distance.

A look at the stairway from the 2nd floor landing......

A close up of that crazy light again.

How do you do it?

Here is the "before" picture again.......Any surface you need painted, needs repaired and primed. 

Choose a color idea and get paint cards with 3-6 colors on them. Choose 3 or all if you want that much contrast. Paint the wall the lightest of the colors.  Then measure off and tape areas. I chose 18 inches for the stripe width.  I painted the next color and so on.  It is a bit time consuming....But, I did this stairway from beginning to end in a weekend.

AFTER:

Just find a color you like and choose three shades from the same card.  I skipped a color in between to give some contrast.  So, really with some time, elbow grease and $70.00 in paint.........a transformation.

Show us a project with paint or comment below to share your ideas.  

ENJOY

First Impressions--start at the entrance

Curb Appeal--Feather Your Nest Transformation--

Its as important as what is inside. You know the old saying "Don't judge a book by its cover". Well. that is exactly what people do-----on your home.

Whether you are sprucing up your own abode for yourself or trying to get your home ready to place on the market; the front entrance definitely needs some attention.  If it is un-inviting and/or drab, it sets the tone for what is to come. People tend to create first impressions in the first 10 seconds they meet you (or your home). Do yourself a favor and make those first few moments of meet & greet the best they can be.

Meet the old:

You can't get to much more boring than this. Don't you just love the wood covering the third story window?  Makes a statement right?

Now the unveil:

I sware these are completely un-touched photos.  So, how did we go from Drab to Fab?

Start with the Obvious:  The Front Door

The storm door was replaced about 4 years ago, and was in great shape.  What we needed to do was make the front look more inviting and give a hint as to what would be found on the inside.  The actual door is original to the home--and a strange 105 inches tall...so it would be a shame to try to replace it.  I say keep all elements that are salvageable intact for the integrity of the home's story.  This door is circa 1924, complete with brass door knob, plate and trim (that you can't see very well).  All it needed was a good sanding with a mouse sander using fine grit and primer and paint.  We chose this cool gold/yellow tone to complement the red-brick.

  

My all-time favorite color to accent dark/cherry cabinets, furniture or even this brick is Kilz brand Nacho-Chip.  It is great. This sample may look more brown, but in reality it is a warm golden yellow. You can find Kilz brand paint at Wal-Mart.

Next:  A bath

Take all the shutters off and power wash the brick--the entire house.  I am lucky because Mr. Perfect is very good at this.  But, if you have never used a power-washer before, you may want to hire this out.  1) Because if you use the wrong power, you can push the morter out between the bricks=BAD.  2) A professional can do it in a day.....time=money.

Don't forget to power-wash the shutters too.  Here is Mr. Perfect in action. (Yes, his nick-name from his teenage years was actually this)

Nice and clean and ready for painting.

Paint

We chose a great dark muted grey/blue color for the shutters.  The gal at Lowes suggested flat sheen for shutters--if I could do it over, I would choose a semi-gloss for sure, especially against the brick.  But it turned out fine.  We also painted all the window trim in a warm white.  Paint always makes things look newer and cleaner.  If someone saw chipped paint around a window, just because you didn't have time to take care of it; well, it may hint that you don't take care of other parts of your home.  Make sure you get severe weather paint and that it is mildew resistant.

Landscaping & Plants

If possible, add in some landscaping around your house.  It doesn't have to be crazy, just some easy-to care for plants and shrubs.  Anyone at a green-house or Lowes can help you pick what is best for your climate.  

Here we are getting ready for the landscaping. This isn't hard, just time-consuming and elbow grease. After you did up the area you want to plant, add in some Hummus.  Here is a great site that will help you get started if you are new to gardening: http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/beginner-gardening.html

It is always good to have some sort of plan.  I created a crude drawing of my idea of what I would like for my flower garden to look like.  Using the color scheme that we created for the house, I chose plants on size, color and care.  Then, set them out where I thought they would look best.  It is easy to make changes etc....before the plants are in-the ground.  You definitely need some height in the back and a mixture of shrubs and colored flowers.  It is good to plant things in groups of three to five for depth.

The finished result

Create an Outdoor Room

This picture was taken in the "during" phase as you can see.  We re-painted the porch black and used this side of the porch to create a room-like space. Again, using the color scheme for the interior of the home.

Here we started with an outdoor rug to ground the space. And, added in seating, a table and some greenery.  The cushions came from Marshalls and the setee and chair are from Pier One. The accessories are from Target and Hobby Lobby.

The rug is from Target, Planter from Marshalls and the Lantern is from Hobby Lobby.

The End Result

A definite Transformation without alot of money.  Mostly, cleaning, paint and Tim.....and little hard work :) Nothing worth having comes easy! Right?

 All of this porch furniture and accessories are available through our Feather Your Nest Staging Service.  If you would like to learn more about Home Staging click HERE 

And this House is actually on the market currently.  If you would like to learn about this property or see more pictures: Check it out HERE

 If you all have some curb appeal to share with us, drop us a line and show us today.  What are you waiting for.

Enjoy