HOME /hom/ n. A dwelling place with family; an environment offering security and happiness.
Many people say “home is where the heart is,” and our hearts definitely belong to this small town. After a second of brainstorming for the perfect name for our business; the words “What about ‘HomeGrown?’” slipped out of Tammi’s mouth, and we knew without a doubt from that moment that it was perfect. There is a much more complex story behind what inspired our theme of home and our sweet little motto provided below. We’d love for you to keep reading and understand the origin of our little shop so you can love and appreciate it just as much as we do.
Tammi and Amy are both transplants to the area. We were not born and raised here like most of the locals. If you are new to the area, you begin to notice some significant differences between this little town and the rest of the world very quickly. Behind the rusty exterior of our town lies a golden interior that is found in the hearts of the people and the beauty that surrounds it.
Amy grew up in Palestine, Texas. After meeting her husband, Greg, at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA), they were married and returned to Livingston where Greg worked at his family's business and she taught school. The change of pace between her college life and the new town that she reluctantly called 'home' was a bit of a shock. She knew right away this place was different but it took years before she could truly see why. Twenty-two years and three children later, they are both so assured that this is where God placed them and where they were to invest and live.
Tammi moved to Livingston the summer of 1983 as she was about to enter her freshman year of high school. Her father was the new youth minister of Central Baptist Church and they lived in the little parsonage right beside it. They had moved from West Monroe, Louisiana, to this small town that didn’t even have a McDonalds at the time! Tammi was sure her parents had moved her to a foreign country as far as her teenage mind was concerned. She soon found out that this “foreign country” and the beautiful people here would help to mold her into the person she is today. Before she was to graduate Baylor University in fall 1991, she received a phone call offering her a job to be the Business Administrator for Camp Cho-Yeh in, of all places, Livingston. When working for Cho-Yeh, she was reacquainted with a friend who would soon be her husband. She and Ben III have been married for 25 years and have raised their four children here. She would have never imagined that when she moved here that summer, she would make this place home for the rest of her life.
But as time went on, Amy and Tammi soon realized this town was different. It wasn't in the ways we originally perceived. We saw these people had huge hearts and love for their neighbors, friends and family. The churches were not just organizations but anchors in the communities; the charities were needed in this community and greatly supported by the people.
We fell in love with the fact that our pace of life was a little slower; you had to get a little more creative when it came to entertainment – but that Houston is only an hour away; and we can enjoy all the fun aspects of that but at the end of the day leave all that traffic and noise there!
We also fell in love with the beauty of this town: the pastures and pine trees, the cutest little downtown, hometown restaurants that know your name when you walk in, Lake Livingston, and the state park.
We love how our town makes a big to-do at Christmastime, too. The city works hard to adorn this little town with lights and they throw the best downtown party! It's really something out of a Hallmark movie.
So, Livingston had become HOME and we had GROWN to love this place we now call HOME. “HomeGrown” was the only thing that could work, considering we dreamed of our business reflecting our community. Our town is what inspires our T-shirts and merchandise. The people of our town are what inspire us to get involved in our community. We love the people and this town.
Our new motto sweatshirt is out this week. We are super excited and hope you can relate to how this town (and the State of Texas) can tug at your heart and this love grows and becomes HOME!
So tell us:how have you GROWN to love your place called HOME? Whether it's our quaint little town or another, we would love for you to share with us in the comments!