By Audrey Hanes, Photography by Melissa Donner

When it comes to whimsical gifts and unique treats, Jonesboro’s Full Sun Gifts has long been a community favorite. Following an extensive remodel and an expanded selection of gifts for men, women and children, the family-owned local business is reaching out to a whole new customer base.

Teresa Beck and her family took over ownership of Full Sun in 2017 and have added to and revitalized many aspects of the business since then. With the recent closing of The Everyday Chef, Beck and her staff have stepped up to fill the former business’ bridal registry role.

“With the closing of The Everyday Chef, our family saw an opportunity to fill a need for the community,” said Beck. “From the time of House and Garden, owned and operated by the fabulous Ava Duke, to the era of The Everyday Chef, manned by the unparalleled Linda Wofford, Jonesboro has had a go-to store for brides – a local store where a bride’s registry can be individualized and personally overseen by a team of local folks who care about their showers and their gifts. We are striving to attempt to fill some very large shoes. 

“We offer free gift wrap, delivery to showers that are in town and special orders. These personal touches go a long way in making a bride feel special and her special days be joyful and entertaining. We want to be a part of that and welcome any suggestions to help make our services even more relevant. We also now have a website where the bride can register online, and we will follow up with her with personal contact.”

To help with the growing business, Beck works with a team that is as specialized as the gift store itself. Longtime Product and Visual Manager Teresa Burns’ displays keep the store inspirational for customers, and she works closely with Camryn Brown, the store’s marketing and operations manager, who also handles Full Sun’s social media and online presence. Janice Kroeter has been with Full Sun since it originally opened, and along with Natalie Dailey, who has been in the gift industry for years, and Christian Culbreath, who joined the team last year, works with each and every customer to help them find exactly what they’re looking for.  

“Melanie Bracy is a new hire; (she) is a salesperson, and she has that gift of being able to make every customer feel special,” said Beck. “She has also been very instrumental in helping us know what brides want to see. I can’t begin to tell you how important her knowledge of the industry has been to our venture into the bridal world.

“We all enjoy working with each other, it makes coming to work a breeze. We all get along and solve things together. Having a team that works so well together cannot be underestimated. It is what makes a business successful.”

With the addition of bridal registries came a catalog of new brands and lines that are flying off the shelves.    

“By far, the most popular new line we have picked up is MacKenzie-Childs,” said Beck. “It has really taken off and is not only popular with brides, but is also a crossover brand with our giftables. Other products that are also on par with MacKenzie-Childs are Vietri, Spode, Juliska, Estelle Glassware, Michael Aram and Annieglass. We’ve also added Nambe, Nordicware, Quaila Glassware, Sophie Conran, Bodrum linens and several others.

“(A) big trend is the return of a really traditional look, it even borders on vintage. You can see it in the newer Mackenzie-Childs pieces and several other brands. It’s a big trend among the younger set and is really quite refreshing. Many components of style from previous decades always return, either the same or with some modern additions. For example, the Blue Italian Spode pattern originated in 1836, and here we are in 2025 and we still have the Blue Italian everyday dinnerware and a more modern Christmas pattern based on the pattern from the 19th century.”

To accommodate the addition of new products and services, Full Sun shut down for four weeks in July to completely remodel the entire store. 

“After June market, we knew that our dream of getting into bridal lines was going to come to fruition, so we felt that these brands needed a more elegant space,” said Beck. “We hired Pine Hill Homes to help us with the remodel, and we are so excited about how it turned out. We also purchased new display furniture to make things more uniform and the design cleaner and more modern. We also rebranded and got a new logo. It’s just an exciting time. …

“We added about 200 square feet with the changes; the cash wrap has a much smaller footprint, as well, that makes for more space for display. I think our favorite piece of the remodel is the chandelier – it is a statement piece.”

Heading into the holiday season and to show off its new space, Full Sun Gifts will hold its annual Christmas Open House from Oct. 31 through Nov. 2. The store will offer customers refreshments, outstanding door prizes and special discounts.

“Even though we have picked up several top-tier brands, we still have fun and whimsical offerings, as well,” said Beck. “We are so proud that we have carried the Full Sun tradition forward. … Our community has always been so supportive of Full Sun. From the shut down during COVID until our most recent shut down during our remodel, our customers have remained loyal and so supportive. We have a great community, and we love serving it.”

Full Sun Gifts, located at 606 Southwest Drive, is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, find Full Sun Gifts on Facebook, visit fullsungifts.myshoplocal.com or call (870) 972-8480.