Christy Sanders is a long-time Milledgeville resident who opened her dream business, Crazy Town Threads, in the midst of the “crazy” COVID era and held strong to its name. It’s a name originally inspired by people Sanders met in Indiana during a brief time living there, who referred to her hometown as ‘crazy town’ due to the stigma surrounding Central State Hospital.
“I would tell people that I was from Milledgeville, Georgia, and I cannot tell you how many times people responded back with “Oh, crazy town,” because of the Central State,” said Sanders. “Milledgeville kind of does have a little nickname, I guess, so I rode with it and said “You know what, I’m about to do something crazy now, too.”
She decided to embrace this mockery and turn it into something positive to show that “crazy” ideas or decisions are not always bad. For Sanders, opening this business was a dream, even if others may have seen it as a crazy venture.
“I always wanted a store and I loved clothes,” said Sanders. “I figured that dream wouldn’t come true until I was older, but I decided I wasn’t getting any younger and so I went for it.”
The store had a rough opening year due to the impact of COVID with less traffic in the store, financial trouble and more.
“I had a lot of fear of failure being a small business owner,” said Sanders. “COVID was very hard and I hit every hurdle and it pushed me back some, too, but I think that’s what made me so determined to see what I could do.”
Despite setbacks, the store sprung back into life after Sanders moved to a new location on North Elbert Street where it catches the attention of more people. Currently, most customers visit due to word of mouth or social media influence; however, Sanders hopes the store’s new location will beckon in new customers, too.
“The previous store was just kind of off the beaten path and now we are near a four way. I hope we can get a little more traffic exposure,” said Sanders.
While the store was inspired by the college atmosphere of Milledgeville, Sanders also designed it as a safe, welcoming and open space for women of all ages. Crazy Town Threads carries all sizes from smal to 3x and keeps its clothes budget friendly to ensure customers can buy a full outfit on a smaller budget
“This is a space for all women to come in and browse and buy,” said Sanders. “I would describe my store as affordable and trendy because I really do try and do my research to get the best thing for our dollar and I try my best to listen to my customers and let them tell me what they want.”
Among the most popular items sold at Crazy Town Threads are its wide varieties of purses and accessories.
“I even have conceal-and-carry purses, which I don’t think a lot of places in Milledgeville actually carry,” said Sanders.
While always seeking to improve the in-store shopping experience by expanding variety, Sanders also is delving into the online fashion world. The store does have a website (crazytownthreads.com), but she is currently working to improve its effectiveness and make it easier for customers to buy online.
“I kind of hit a hurdle going online because I realized that I cannot do it well by myself,” said Sanders. “I am looking for help to improve our online options.”
Despite the many setbacks that Crazy Town Threads has faced, Sanders continuously works past the hurdles to make it to the finish line. She thanks the efforts of her mother, Teresa Patterson, and her best friend in supporting her and coaching her on the business world.
“I have to give the credit to my mom and my best friend. My mom helps me run the business and works here on the days that I do not and my best friend helped to guide me the entire way,” said Sanders.
Crazy Town Threads is located at 110 North Elbert Street and open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.