Batter up
Nashville’s Jeremy Mitchell is a longtime baseball fan. His love of the game led him to start a company that creates colorful, hand-painted wood bats.
The company: Mitchell Bat Co., started in 2013, in Nashville.
Background: Mitchell, a marketing major at Western Kentucky University, was asked to join a team of Nashville designers to rebrand a skateboard company: Salemtown Board Co. They also wanted to mentor and train inner-city kids. While working on this project, Mitchell was inspired to start his bat company and tie it to a charity. He picked Major League Baseball RBI, "Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities." (mlb.com/rbi). A portion of the proceeds from each sale goes to RBI.
The goods: Solid maple, hand-painted baseball bats ($245).
Hot bats: No. 16 is the most popular bat. The No. 18 is the most challenging bat to paint because it features several colors.
Big break: Being featured on Cool Material (coolmaterial.com), a popular shopping blog for guys, and ESPN's 2013 Holiday Gift Guide.
Where to buy: mitchellbatco.com. Ask about custom colors and designs.
For dress up
Atlanta’s John Petersen became a jewelry designer by default, rather than design after his daughter was born. Now dad and daughter have their own unique necklace lines.
The creators: John Peterson and Riley Kinnane-Petersen, who turns six on Aug. 29.
Background: After Riley was born, Petersen began collecting vintage jewelry, thinking that she might want to play dress-up one day. He scoured thrift stores, antique stores and asked friends and family for jewelry they never used. Petersen began assembling pieces and turned them into his own line of statement necklaces for women. As Riley grew, she eventually joined him at the dining room table in their Sandy Springs home, learning how to tie knots and use pliers and tweezers.
The company: Atlanta-based Gunner & Lux was founded 2013. Little Lux, a collection of children's jewelry made from neon strings, wooden beads and little totems and animals, started the next year.
The goods: Necklaces from Gunner & Lux ($79.99 to $299.99) and Little Lux ($23.99 to $40)
What's popular: For Gunner & Lux, the one-of-a-kind necklaces along with the new Bilt & Tied line, which uses rope, wood and metal pieces. For Little Lux, animals including the Lighting Horse and Tiger Lily necklaces
Fun requests: Little Lux necklaces for birthdays.
Where to buy: www.gunnerandlux.com. Also Barneys New York and many Atlanta retailers.
Take a stand
At Florida-based Yield, the clever founders have figured out how to create classic bags and home goods from natural materials that have a timeless, yet modern design.
The company: Yield was established in San Francisco in late 2012, but is now based in St. Augustine, Fla.
The creators: Rachel Gant and Andrew Deming, both native Southerners, met in San Francisco at California College of the Arts. Rachel's background is in architecture and industrial design. Andrew got his start in graphic design before finding his way into the product world.
The main goods: Set of three brass Geo Stands ($60) and the one-liter ceramic French Press ($150).
Other favorites: Field Bag ($92), Copper cups ($21 each); Tokyo Tote ($128); and a leather & steel cup set ($42).
Big break: Appeared in O magazine and The New York Times within a few months of starting the company.
As seen in: Squarespace's recent "Build it Beautiful" ad campaign.
What's next: A smaller French press, new furniture additions and an expanded planter line.
Where to buy: www.yielddesign.co. In the Atlanta area, check Young Blood Boutique, 632 N. Highland Ave. (youngbloodboutique.com).
Best of the South
Do you have favorite finds from around the South that you give as gifts, buy for your home or rave about to friends? If so, please share them with us. Send your suggestions to: lljerkins@gmail.com. Also find more Southern-made products, featured in the AJC, at Southernfinds on facebook or on twitter@southernfinds1.
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