hello to somebody at school, we would
move. My uncles were all carpenters,
painters, electricians and masons, and I
learned how to build things from them.”
The two women could not have
traveled on more different paths. Like
her mother, Brenda used her abilities to
help others, which led to creating window
displays at Sullivan’s, an independent
clothing store in Jesup, and going beyond
her work as a salesperson at Penney’s
Department Store on Broughton Street in
downtown Savannah. Perhaps she didn’t
yet realize the extent of her talent or she
might have marketed herself. But she
never promoted herself. She didn’t need
to. A gift in the heart that is kind with
willing hands to work will always make room for itself.
In 1985, Brenda married Bert Driggers. Three years later, Bert took a job at Meadows
Regional Hospital, and they moved to Toombs County with their young son Will, who was
eighteen-months-old at the time. As Will got older, Brenda helped friends here and there with
redecorating or rearranging. Word quickly got around. Without really planning to turn it into
a business, Brenda soon had lots of work. “But it never felt like my ‘niche,’” said Brenda. As
much as she loved it, her mother’s frugal nature ran deep. What Brenda really enjoyed was
finding the treasure in the old and restoring it to life again. Buying new things for people just
felt like a weight of responsibility rather than an enjoyment.
Hometown Living At Its Best 101
ABOVE Decorating and
arranging things comes
easy for Brenda Driggers,
but she especially likes
giving old things new
purpose.