Stone Mountain, GA  — Local artisans get the spotlight with the opening of a new retail shop in Stone Mountain called Village Gemz.

The store, which offers handmade jewelry, t-shirts, crystals and bath and body products, opened in the former Silver Talisman space on Main Street in April.

“It was one of those places that called to me personally,” owner Jasmine Little told The Tucker Observer.

Little and her co-owner Jo saw opening Village Gemz as a way to promote the work of their artisan friends.

“We have a bunch of friends that make jewelry, so we wanted to take the opportunity to merge a bunch of our friends and put them in the same store,” Little said. “Once COVID hit, a lot of the shows that they would do slowed down, so we just wanted to have an opportunity to be able to take care of our friends and family.”

She said the response so far since opening has been “amazing.”

“We’ve had at least a few people come in and purchase almost every day we’ve been open,” Little said. “That’s actually refreshing. We get a really good turnout on our crystals and our sterling silver items.”

Village Gemz is one of several new businesses opening or planning to open in Stone Mountain recently.

Health-conscious chicken wing restaurant Drumz N’ Flatz opened on Stone Mountain Freeway in April. Bookstore and wine bar The Vibrary and Cherokee Rose BBQ Bar & Kitchen plan to open on Main Street this month. And restaurant-lounge The Mailroom Lounge will open in the fall.

Little is excited to be a part of the flood of new businesses in the area.

“I love Stone Mountain,” she said. “I love the fact that we have all of these new concepts, and the businesses that are reopening are recreating their identities. The ones that have been open have maintained through COVID and I just love what we’re doing.”

“I think we’re headed in the right direction,” she added.

Little previously owned Cool Breeze Smoothie & Juice Bar in Stone Mountain Village from 2015 to 2018. She has served on the Stone Mountain City Council since 2018.

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