Gigi’s by Grace Ann Designs covers all the party bases

Published 4:30 pm Monday, September 26, 2022

Anna Grace Pryor is no stranger to taking on new adventures. She grew up in Sandersville before attending the University of Georgia, where Pryor received her bachelor’s degree in psychology. After graduation, she went into the human resources field and worked for corporations of various sizes in Atlanta and Los Angeles. She spent about seven years in the corporate world before making the decision to stay home with her children. 

Pryor started her business, Grace Ann Designs, back in 2019. The business started because Pryor knew she needed something to keep her mind busy after quitting her job to stay home with her kids. She toyed around with different business ventures before landing on jewelry making. In the last 3 1/2 years, Grace Ann Designs has grown and undergone different stages of evolution. It started with earrings, then moved to necklaces and bracelets, and then finally gifts were added. 

Now there is another adventure on the horizon for Pryor — opening a store. 

“When the opportunity to open a store was presented to me, I knew I could not fill an entire store with jewelry. And I did not want to open a clothing boutique, because there were already so many awesome ones in Milledgeville,” Pryor said. “So I really started brainstorming what doesn’t Milledgeville have? What can I do to add value? And that’s when the one stop party shop came to life.” 

The store, Gigi’s by Grace Ann Designs, is a place that Pryor says is focused on all elements of a party. 

“From inception, to execution, to buying the perfect gift, we have you covered,” she said. “We offer small and large event planning, do it yourself decor and decoration installation. We also offer print and design services — invitations as well as signage.” 

At the storefront, customers will find party supplies for any occasion. That’s not all Gigi’s has,  however, as Pryor revealed that she will continue selling her jewelry line, By Grace Ann, and working to incorporate more gifts into the store’s inventory. 

Her mother has planned and directed weddings for as long as Pryor can remember, and Anna Grace said that her love of all things party was passed to her by her mom. When she was little, Pryor remembers planning her slumber parties around a theme, and after she became a mother, she saw plenty of opportunities to plan themed parties. 

“It’s never been a hassle for me or something I felt pressured to do; I just genuinely love an extravagant party and seeing the final cohesive party come to life,” Pryor said.

Owning a storefront is something that Pryor has always dreamt of, but she said it never made sense financially to open one when she lived in big cities like Atlanta, Los Angeles and Charlotte. She moved back closer to home in 2020. Her original plan was to open a store after her mother, who has metastatic breast cancer, passed away to serve as a sort of a distraction. That changed when this chance came along, and Pryor just knew she had to open the store while her mother was still alive. The name of the store comes from Pryor’s mother, who is affectionately known as “Gigi” by her grandchildren. Pryor said it only made sense to name the store after the woman that had inspired her love of parties. 

Pryor’s driving force is without a doubt her children. After all, they were the reason that she left the corporate world behind to begin with. 

“My employees know that they have my attention until the end of the school day, and then my focus will be on the kids,” Pryor said. “Every day I am looking for ways to grow, to outsource to other small businesses, and to hire more people, so I can be the best business owner, but most importantly the best mama. They are my entire world, and the reason behind every single thing I do.”

Gigi’s by Grace Ann Designs will have its grand opening on Oct. 1, which is also Pryor’s birthday. Pryor emphasized that there was nothing like her business in Milledgeville. She called it a “total package” service, where the customers are as involved in the planning as they’d like or remain hands-off. 

“It brings me so much joy to put a smile on someone’s face. Whether it be a kid seeing their super cool birthday balloon garland, a mom-to-be with her Pinterest-worthy baby shower, or a bride experiencing the wedding of her dreams … the look on their faces is my favorite part,” she said. “It’s worth all the long hours of manual labor, and the 500 to-do lists, and the constant worry of if I had all my bases covered.”