Where do we even start? The Tyson Sinclair Building is jam packed with history (maybe you didn’t know there was a whole home behind that facade) and more than 20 businesses under one roof. We got a look at three to check out during The Buggy Festival this weekend, May 9, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Soapy Goat & Gifts
The Soapy Goat isn’t new but just moved into the building back in February. Stefanie Williams makes goats milk soap, candles, lip balm and more. She hand milks her goats (pictured above) and has grown her herd from 3 to 15 since starting her business. She’s also a night shift paramedic, so needless to say, she stays busy. She was originally based in Robbins but now has a booth in Made & Found in Aberdeen. Soapy Goat began to take up too much space at home and her friend told her about a space in the Tyson Sinclair Building. Now she uses the space as a store / studio on the main floor. “It’s been nice to have a division between work and home,” she says.
Her number one best seller is the “Carolina Sunset” soap but her offerings are constantly changing. She loves hearing people say they can smell the soaps when they enter the building. “This building has gone through many changes in the last few months. We’re really trying to make the Tyson more of a destination,” she says.
Sun & Soul
Sun & Soul recently moved from behind Buggy Town Coffee to the Tyson Sinclair Building. You’ll still find work from NC artists and vintage sourced from across the state. You can also expect to see craft workshops in the future. The owners of Sun & Soul say the move allowed them to feel surrounded by community and fulfill more of their mission of keeping creativity alive.
Second Charm Vintage
Second Charm Vintage is the newest shop in the building, though it’s technically three shops in one. Alongside Second Charm Vintage, shoppers will also find The Collected Cow by Colleen McFadden and Past Meets Present by Niki Dorsett, sharing the space. Leading the venture is Kerry Millikan, who teamed up with two longtime friends to bring the concept to life. The three women previously worked together as teachers at Pinehurst Elementary School. “We’re doing this as our next chapter,” says Kerry.
Inside you’ll find a variety of vintage and new furniture, housewares, art, vintage clothes, jewelry and more.
“When I was young, I worked retail in a gift shop and always thought about having my own store,” says Kerry. “She’s got a real knack for this,” says Niki. Though it’s been around 20 years since the three women all worked together, they’ve stayed friends and are excited to work in the same space again.
“I love to learn the history of pieces and share the stories that go with them. Then finding someone else that can appreciate the stories behind something? That’s the best,” says Kerry. As for Niki? She loves to find things that remind her of her childhood.
In Kerry’s eyes, history is at the core of everything. “It’s like the history of this building, it makes The Buggy Festival more meaningful when you know the backstory.”
The Tyson Sinclair
One owner of the Tyson Sinclair building, Georgia Chriscoe, says she’s already watched some businesses outgrow their spaces. “Every week there’s something new here,” she says. As for downtown Carthage as a whole, this is the most full Georgia has seen all the storefronts in years. “It just makes me so happy,” she says. The hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
See more of what the Tyson Sinclair Building has to offer here.
- Friday, May 8, 2-6 p.m.: The Tyson Sinclair building is staying open late for Military Appreciation Day. Sip and shop the stores, plus extra vendors.
