Local business owner Ima Thibodeaux said she has seen the mood around her Five Points store transform from formal and mature to young and eclectic in recent years. Potential customers who pass by Gibson's Gift are more often college students now than middle-aged or older patrons.
“A bunch of young ladies in April — they were passing the store, and they said, 'And this is the granny store,'" Thibodeaux said. "I died when I heard that.”
Located on Saluda Avenue, Gibson's Gifts was established in 1955. The store originally sold gifts, cards and stationery with a diner located in the back. Now, Thibodeaux is rebranding the store, starting with selling everything that belonged to the Gibson name.
“I sat down in this chair for a whole week, studying my audience … I see piercings, blue hair, tattoos all over. They will not come (for) traditional Caspari paper goods," Thibodeaux said. "I put everything on sale, 50 and 75% sale, for nine weeks. Everything Gibson's, gone.”
Thibodeaux will rename the store to La Boheme — French for "The Bohemian" and the title of her favorite Giacomo Puccini opera — to match the more eclectic vibe that she plans to bring to the store. Thibodeaux said she hopes that this rebrand will allow her store to align with Five Points' atmosphere while still maintaining its authenticity.
Boutique clothing, handmade crafts and other artisan products are on display at Gibson’s Gifts on Oct. 12, 2023. Store owner, Ima Thibodeaux, said she takes pride in selling handmade and non-mass-produced products from around the world.
“What represents Five Points, Saluda Avenue? And I thought, 'La Boheme,'" Thibodeaux said. "A lot of customers complained about the name, and they said, 'So what, you're going to be another hippie store?' So I have a problem with those people. I said, 'Hippies and Bohemians are different species.'”
The store caters to people of all ages, genders and backgrounds, store sales associates Cappy Boswell and Mary Hahn said. The store already has a kitchen section, a baby section, a men’s section, a stationery section and a gifts section.
"Bridal gifts, anniversary gifts, birthday gifts, that sort of thing, for all age groups, really. I think we probably ... were appealing to everybody from babies to children to older people," Hahn said.
Boswell said that shoppers can come in and find gifts for any budget.
“We have all price points. We have, what I would call, things on the more expensive side. But we have plenty of gift options on the less expensive side,” Boswell said.
Thibodeaux said she sets out to provide unique artisan products, which sets Gibson’s Gifts apart from other gift shops in the area, by sourcing stock from global markets rather than mass-produced suppliers or regional vendors.
“I don't go to the (Atlanta) market. I go straight to the European markets online, and I have (products) from New Zealand, to South Africa, to Guatemala, to Greece, Italy … everywhere,” Thibodeaux said.
Thibodeaux said she celebrates being in a place where she can provide this unique set of products and still fit right in.
“Five Points was, is and it will always be eclectic and colorful, and people can be here themselves,” Thibodeaux said. "Anybody can come to Five Points."
The newly-renamed La Boheme will remain at 743 Saluda Ave. and be open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.