NEWBERRY — BJ Graphix has moved down the street to Jessamine Drive in Newberry. Jackie Huggins, owner of the business, said they moved locations due to space.
“My dad ran a fiberglass company in the back (of the old location). We had our showroom and everything in the front. My dad (Jack Belger) passed away a few years ago and we found ourselves with more space than we needed,” she said. “We closed down the fiberglass company and just decided we needed something that did not need as much upkeep and there was just way too much room for us.”
Huggins and her family began looking for a new place, and came across their new location. They decided to do some renovations and move in. The old building was sold to Falcon Boats in October.
“The Falcon Boats owners agreed to let us stay for up to a year until we found somewhere suitable for us. It was great that they bought the building because we were a fiberglass company, when we were using the entire building,” Huggins said. “It is great to see new industry come in and take over that building.”
Graphix’s new location is 5,300 square feet. While their old location was larger, it did not have the set-up they needed. Now they have a proper showroom and work space and more room for the actual store.
“The biggest difference from our old location I think is just being able to display and have the showroom space that we have. We are essentially going to be doing the same thing that we have done, it is just going to be a little bit more so,” Huggins said.
BJ Graphix is not the only thing new about Jessamine Drive. Before they moved in the street was originally called Service Drive, but it was changed at the suggestion of Mayor Foster Senn. Huggins said when Senn suggested the name change they wanted it to be something South Carolina related. So they came up with a couple of options, but they were taken.
“Picking the name was a collaborative effort, his wife (Sharon Senn) had the suggestion,” Huggins said. ” Eventually we are going to plant some yellow Jessamines out there, we just have not gotten that far yet.”
Graphix has been in business for 30 years, opening when Huggins’ father was in the fiberglass business. Belger, along with his wife, Bonnie, started the business when Huggins was in high school. Bonnie Belger said she loves the new location, and the openness it provides.
Originally the store started off in the golf business, and they were making golf flags. Huggins said that when they got into the business they needed somewhere to print them, so they got into the printing business. When people started wanting their flags embroidered, they got into the embroidering business.
The store continued to evolve over the years until they became what they are today which is personalized gifts. They offer services such as monogramming, screen printing, embroidering and many promotional items.
“My family, especially my dad and I, are kind of known for taking every opportunity you can and do not ever say no,” Huggins joked. “We just expanded with that.”