Twelve years ago, Jane Bennett sat in a closet in her Athens home. Her 15-year career as a nurse was no longer feasible with two children at home, but living without a source of income was out of the question.

So Jane began cutting, pasting and sketching.

“My younger son was sick a lot, so I needed to find something I could do from home,” Bennett said of her predicament. “I had always had a interest in art and design, and it sort of just came back up.”

Having been unsatisfied with her experiences at a local specialty paper store when looking for baby announcements, Bennett saw a community need for someone who was willing to go the extra mile in the business.

“I was at a stressful time in my life, and I would have paid whatever it cost to get the announcements made if someone had been willing to sit me down and walk me through the process,” Bennett said.

She realized though they may seem like nothing more than icing on the cake, announcements and wedding invitations could add layers of stress to the most monumental events in people’s lives.

Bennett started small, gradually building her collection of custom-designed paper, but she worked with high hopes of a business willing to cater to each customer’s needs.

“It never crossed my mind to be nervous about starting my own business,” said Bennett who had no previous business experience, except working at a retail store in college. “I guess I should have thought about that, but really I just dove into everything head first.”

Whether or not some level of nervousness would have been prudent, Bennett’s fears would have faded quickly. Her business took off, and after working out of her basement for few years, the novice entrepreneur set up shop at the Athens International Market.

A couple more years down the road, Bennett had become so successful that when a property opened up in Five Points, she was able to snag it.

Thus, Plain Jane Designs became a Five Points landmark, and with room to spare in her final location, Bennett added an array of merchandise akin to that of Swoozies or LimeTree.

“Wedding invitations and folded notes are certainly where the money is,” Bennett said. “But we also have lots of personalized gifts as well as pick-up gifts for under $25.”

University art student of Nashville, Tenn. and long-time Plain Jane employee Olivia Patton expanded on this. “We have everything from kitchen, to baby gifts, to paper to jewelry,” she said. “We also have a lot of Georgia apparel and accessories. Really, the store offers a huge variety, but our main focus is the paper and personalized gifts with monograms.”

For those in search of dorm room décor, birthday gifts or custom-made invitations, Plain Jane Designs is the ideal spot to find unique creations and play a role in a local success story.

“Jane has come a long way from her home set up in the closet,” Patton said. “I think the main thing that hasn’t changed since then is her concern for every customer’s needs.”