Sweet, Sustainable, Stylish: Community

Community photo shoot left to right: Katherine Anne Dunlap, Anna Harms, Sanni Baumgartner, Ian Mcfarlane, Megan Swanson, Lindsay Davis.Before we get started, you need to know how to get to Community. Its located at 119 North Jackson Street in Downtown Athens, GA. Right above Jittery Joe's downtown. Ok, go:

Sanni Baumgaertner moved to Athens for the first time in 1997 as a foreign exchange student from Germany. Sanni, who was in the music industry at the time, sold vintage clothing on the side for fun after realizing how easily it came to her. In 2010 Sanni decided to open her own vintage clothing store to make her own vision come true. Her store, Community, opened about a year and a half ago and she has succeeded in creating a store which focuses on re-creating pre-worn and vintage clothing. Community also features local artist’s products including Little Cuckoo Chocolate which makes it a sweet stop on Athens Food Tours!

Sarah: Can you give me a basic description of what Community is and what it strives for?

Sanni: Sure! It’s a women’s clothing boutique that focuses on sustainable, vintage and pre worn clothing. We also feature local artist’s products.

Sarah: What exactly is sustainable clothing?

Sanni: I describe it as being pre-worn, re-worked, or locally made clothing created in either Athens or Atlanta.

Sarah: Where did the idea of sustainable clothing and featuring other local artist’s products come from?

Sanni: Well, I sold vintage clothing in other stores for about a year. Then I realized I wanted to open my own store. It was after Community opened that the idea of having other artist’s products in my store developed. From there we just grew to have more and more local artists!

Laurel Hill products sold here!

Sarah: How long have you had Community?

Sanni: About a year and a half now. It opened in September of 2010.

Sarah: And how long have you been in Athens?

Sanni: Off and on since 1997. I came to Athens in ‘97 as an exchange student to UGA. I lived in Germany between then.

Sarah Is Germany where you grew up?

Sanni: Yes it was! I grew up outside of Nuremberg which is in south Germany.

Sarah: How long did the process of Community take from concept to creation?

Sanni: Hm. I think maybe about a year after I decided I wanted to open a store was when Community opened. It probably took about eight months to find a location, really develop the concept and then find the money to open it.

Beat It Pillow by interior designer Emily Newdow. Emily also works at Community.

Sarah: How do you decide what to feature in your shop?

Sanni: I definitely follow current trends and see if I can find those same trends used. I seek out vintage styles, and also I look for what I will know sell. Certain thing I love but they just don’t sell. I buy clothes two times a week… I love to go to craft fairs. I like to buy what fits into the aesthetics of the store. It all needs to fit together.

Sarah: And did you always want to be in the retail industry?

Sanni: No… I was in music for a while. I played in a few bands here in Athens as well as Germany and toured. During that time I sold vintage clothing on the side to help out. It was easy and fun for me. I love that it has a treasure hunt feel to it. I decided to open a store to see my own vision come true.

Sarah: And I hear you offer classes as well! What classes do you have?

Sanni: Right now we have sewing. It’s mostly for beginners. We also have knitting classes and do alterations. We have other services too such as styling or private shopping tours. I wanted this to be a place where people could meet and create stuff together and just have fun!

Sarah: And what brings Athens Food Tour groups here?

Sanni: We sell Little Cuckoo Chocolates here! Amanda Jane Crouse makes them. Athens Food Tours likes to stop here for a little treat. I think Mary Charles likes it because it’s another place for out-of towners to explore. It doesn’t exist anywhere else!Little Cuckoo Chocolates, the reason Athens Food Tour groups frequent Community.

Sarah: Do you have favorite places to shop in Athens?

Sanni: I love Helix. I think they have a great selection. I also like Avid bookshop, the new bookstore in town. I think Treehouse Kid and Craft Store is a fantastic store… even though I don’t have kids!

Thanks Sanni! 

Interview conducted & written by Food Tour Intern, Sarah Proctor.