May 7, 2010

Owners find right mix at Tea Garden GiftsBy Erin ZureickChronicle.Augusta.com

Georgia — Cathy Bland and Mike Willis’ first business venture together was a lemonade stand they set up as youngsters in Aiken.

“That was the beginnings of our entrepreneurship and partnership,” Willis said.

After almost 35 years of friendship, the childhood neighbors are sharing another milestone: the 13th anniversary of Tea Garden Gifts, their downtown Aiken shop.

They traded in careers as a cost engineer at Savannah River Site and a sales representative to make their dream of owning a business a reality. The partnership is still going strong as the co-owners look to expand their store’s offerings and continue to target their niche audience.

Willis is mostly a behind-the-scenes manager, operating the Web site and managing payroll, while Bland is up front, working with customers and completing orders. Their differing talents have helped make the partnership a success, Willis said.

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