Downtown Homerville getting unique ‘destination’ holiday store – The Merry Avriett

Downtown Homerville is about to spread holiday cheer – all year long.  

The Merry Avriett, a boutique holiday retail store, will be opening its doors on Thursday, October 21,  and it is certain to have everything you need to deck the halls.

The Merry Avriett is located in the heart of Downtown Homerville at the intersections of Highways 441 South and 84 West. Its location was built in 1903 as the Bank of Homerville. It was sold to Edgar and Mary Dame Avriett in 1934 to serve as one of the town’s drug stores, Avriett Drugs, until 1988. In more recent years, the store front housed two antique stores and a church.

In January 2021, the building was purchased by Lee Property Holdings and their vision to create a retail space that would serve as a destination spot for the city began.  Layne Lee Varnedoe, a retired educator, decided in 2010 to purchase the long-standing business, The Avriett House Flower Shop. Known to many as The Flower Shop, The Avriett House serves the community daily as it is a destination for fresh florals, wedding and baby registries, gifts, holiday décor and more. The recently-renovated  Avriett House is also known for creating beautiful and unique weddings and events across Georgia and Northern Florida. The Merry Avriett will house all of the holiday décor the residents of Clinch and surrounding counties have come to know and love over the years.

The Merry Avriett will be the ultimate destination for those who love Christmas. With over 20 Christmas trees, the new storefront will boast a uniquely curated shopping experience with new holiday lines consisting of Byer’s Choice, Mark Roberts, Glitterville, Mackenzie Childs, Jingle Nog, Jayes Studio and an expanded line of Christopher Radko. The store will also feature expanded lines of Elf On The Shelf, Thymes Fragrances, Hester and Cook, Beaufort Bonnet and Sweet Dreams, to name a few.

“Christmas has always been my favorite holiday,” said Layne Lee Varnedoe.  “I have so many wonderful childhood memories that are centered around this festive time of year. I wanted to create a storefront that would allow customers from across our great state the opportunity to experience the magic of the holiday season here in Clinch County. We hope that our store will be a destination and will promote tourism here in Homerville. From ribbon to ornaments, nativities to Santa figurines, we have something for everyone.” 

Varnedoe also stated, “Our creative team has worked extremely hard to create this shopping experience and we look forward to welcoming customers soon.”

The Merry Avriett will open its doors on Thursday, October 21,  at 6:30 p.m. with a “Holiday Preview Party”. Tickets are $25 each with all ticket sales benefitting the Clinch County Department of Family and Children Services to buy Christmas presents for at-risk families this December. The event is drop-in and ends at 9 p.m. Ticket sales include dinner, drinks and other special surprises. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Avriett House website at www.avrietthouse.com and following the Holiday Preview Party link.

The store will be open to the public on October 22nd at 9 a.m. with extending shopping hours featuring a “Sip and Shop” event from 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Friday evening.

On Saturday, October 23, The Merry Avriett will open at 9 a.m. and the Elf On The Shelf “Adoption Center” will be open from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Parents are encouraged to bring their children for a special shopping experience as they adopt their very own Elf On The Shelf with complimentary holiday snow cones for the children and their families to enjoy. The afternoon will also host a very special “Elf” for the children to have their photos made with.

Santa Claus will be making an appearance from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday with complimentary photos from a local photographer. 

The Merry Avriett will begin regular business hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.