Shore to Shore: A little sign shop that’s brightening up the community
SALISBURY, Md. — In the newest edition of Shore to Shore, I spoke with a little sign shop with a big heart. Every one of its handmade signs tells a story of survival, and the creations are brightening the community.
What started as a hobby selling used books and antiques online quickly evolved into home decor.
JennyGems owner Jennifer McMillan said, “We started selling on the internet, mostly little signs with cute sayings. We started importing them from overseas, and right before COVID, we ordered all the equipment and began making everything on our own.”
For a while, the company did well. But a combination of moving to a new building, supply chain problems, electrical issues and health problems created the perfect storm.
“I had a heart incident, so I ended up at UPENN with heart surgery, and at the same time, my husband had spine surgery. It was just a huge mess all at the same time, and we almost lost everything,” McMillan said.
They sacrificed nearly everything to stay afloat.
“My husband sold his truck to Carvana just to make payroll and keep us going. I contacted all of our creditors. I had all of the payments for our machinery restructured, all of our debts restructured. We sold everything we had of value just to stay alive,” McMillan said.
By risking everything, they are reinventing their business and coming back stronger than ever.
“We began expanding and doing more commercial items and selling more to businesses,” McMillan said.
The variety of signs and designs they offer is astonishing. Between outdoor signs, T-shirts, wedding signs and pet signs galore, customers are sure to find something they like.
“We also do outdoor PVC, which you probably see a lot of behind me, and we are at the beach, so that’s very popular,” McMillan said.
It’s stories like this — where the journey is winding and the sacrifices run deep — that help remind us why it’s important to support local businesses.
If you have any local business recommendations for Shore to Shore, email us at newsroom@wmdt.com.
