Located on East Pleasant Street, Graycewyngs Gardens and Interiors is one of the buildings in Hammonton with great history behind it. Originally, the building was used as a stable for the NJ State Troopers around the 1920s, however over time it has landed in Jennifer Jones-Rodriguez’s hands. Jones-Rodriguez had purchased the property in 2015, with the building completely in her name. She explained that this was her dream to own this building and that she wanted full responsibility for the property. She remembers working at the building when she was young and felt fond memories for the building. Once she had purchased the property, Jones-Rodriguez started to look for ideas that would revitalize the building, as well as create a successful business.
“I tell people, this is the house that has built me. This is the house that has followed me my entire life,” Jones-Rodriguez said.
With over 12 vendors in the building currently, Jones-Rodriguez has her hands full with running the shop. Graycewyngs supports vendors such as a piano teacher, a photographer, or even small vendors that only make one item. Jones-Rodriguez explained that helping to support local and small businesses is something that she is proud of and enjoys the small community she has created in the building.
“We’re like our own little family,” Jones-Rodriguez said.
Jones-Rodriguez will do anything to help her vendors and praises them on choosing to partner with Graycewyngs. She explained that she had to learn how to run a successful business over time and that there is still a learning curve. With her vendors supporting her and her business, Jones-Rodriguez feels immense gratitude and tries to help when she can.
“I’m here for the house and I want to see people do what I’m doing. I want to walk beside them, I want to cry with them, celebrate with them and say ‘you’re doing a great job.’ All of my vendors, every one of them, will come and say ‘how can I do this better?’ To me that’s a compliment,” Jones-Rodriguez said.
As well as featuring different vendors and unique items, Jones-Rodriguez also takes time out to have “tea-times.” The tea time events are held at Graycewyngs, where Jones-Rodriguez will brew tea and set up a room in the building for interested participants to sit and talk.
Interested parties can reserve times for the tea time as well, coordinating with their schedules and what time works best for them. The tea time events seem extremely popular, as Jones-Rodriguez said she has more than 100 voicemails in her phone pertaining to reserving a day for the tea time. However, Jones-Rodriguez likes organizing the tea times, as she meets new friends along the way.
Graycewyngs also sells unique handmade items that were made for special holidays, including shutters painted to look like pumpkins, scented candles for birthdays and even special themed tea times. Jones-Rodriguez loves to create unique and interesting items that will catch a buyer’s eye, but also enjoys making the crafts. Coming up with new ways to get people in the door is something Jones-Rodriguez says she finds herself doing constantly, but it also adds to the fun atmosphere of the building.
For more information on Graycewyngs, head to their Facebook page, where Jones-Rodriguez updates interested customers on events and new items in the shop.