Vidalia — Janet and Bill Hughes had often talked about moving their screen-printing operation out of the family home, but it never seemed to be the right time.

But that all changed recently, when a spot became available in a building they already owned on Carter Street in Vidalia.

A few months back, the previous tenant closed her business and moved out, and Janet Hughes took that as a sign that it was time for her to move in. And, thus, Southern Designs and Gifts was born.

But, with all the new space, Hughes wanted to offer more than just screen printed items, and decided to turn the front portion of the store into a gift shop filled with purses, jewelry, baby items and home décor items.

“I could almost push Bill out of the back,” Hughes said of her expanding lines of merchandise.

They also offer custom creations that include candy bar cakes that are round “cakes” made entirely from candy and baby bouquets that feature roses made from baby bath clothes and flowers made from pacifiers.

There are also seasonal custom wreaths.

The candy cakes, baby bouquets and wreaths are the handiwork of Connie Williams who Hughes credits for the stores décor.

“She’s my decorator,” Hughes said of her Williams’s talents.

For screen-printing, the store has multicolored shirts. Currently they have Vidalia football shirts and sweatshirts on display, but Hughes said that can change with the season.

“We can do Vidalia baseball or whichever sport,” Hughes said.

Custom orders of 12 or more are also welcome.

The store, which opened Wednesday, also carries a selection of Louisiana souvenirs including key chains and cookbooks.

Hughes believes the Louisiana merchandise will be a hit because her’s is the only shop in the area selling state souvenirs.

“City Hall specifically asked me if I would considered selling them because no one else was,” she said.

Also unique to her gift shop are the L and M Candles with a fragrance that fills the building. Hughes found out about the candles, which are from Sandersville, from a former youth minister at her church.

“His mother-in-law makes them,” Hughes said. “He hand delivered them to me because he was in town for a wedding.”

Just like the candles, new merchandise is arriving almost daily, and Hughes is constantly looking for new items to bring to the store.

Opening so late in the year did pose one small problem for Hughes — they missed the wholesale markets — and are having to go it alone when finding merchandise.

“We’ve spent hours online looking for things,” Hughes said. “And we are asking customers when they come in what they want and what they are looking for.”

And if the store doesn’t have it in stock yet, Hughes said she will go out of her way to find something that makes her customers happy.

“We had a customer come in and was looking at some pictures frames for Natchez High School booster club. She wanted to buy them for all the seniors on senior night,” Hughes said.

In the process of trying to locate enough frames, Hughes found a bracelet with a bulldog head charm that she thought would suit the occasion even better.

“So, I called her and told that we had found this bracelet and she said ‘that’s perfect.’”

And although the location was convenient because her family already owned the building, Hughes said it is also very accessible for patrons.

“There are people in and out of the doctor’s offices all day,” Hughes said of her neighboring businesses. “I had one lady come over from Arthur’s Tire while her car was being worked on.

“It gives people a place to come and shop and spend their time while they are waiting.”

The store is located at 1808 Carter Street. It is open weekdays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., except on Wednesday when they are open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Beginning on Nov. 22, the store will be open on Saturdays through the end of the year.