Tannie with her husband of 34 years, Nate Jenkins.

Tannie Jenkins will be the first to tell you the integral role our retail store, GRACEful Buys, plays in making her elegant house the warm, inviting home that it truly is.  She is so passionate about the blessing that GRACE has been in her life, she feels hers is a story that should be told.  Her home is one to be experienced in person in order to fully understand her talent and fervor.  Fortunately for everyone, she invited GRACE for an intimate look into her sanctuary.

This delightful woman exudes love from her core, and a lot of that love is for GRACE and GRACEful Buys.  In conversation, our friend estimates that about 80% of her Southlake home’s furnishings came from GRACE.  In fact, upon arrival she begins the visit by proudly declaring the oversized chair she is lounging in (due to a recent knee replacement surgery) was bought from GRACEful Buys Grapevine, also known as GBG, and was reupholstered with fabric from Hobby Lobby.  She then points out the vast majority of her living room and kitchen furniture in sight was also bought at GBG and covered with fabric she found mostly in Atlanta.

Her favored discovery of GBG happened thanks to her decorator friend who called up Tannie saying she must come at once to see the gorgeous prints found there.  Tannie, having the distinguished eye and taste that she does, cannot be told by someone else what she likes, but must see for herself.  Her friend was spot-on with her suggestion, and Tannie has been a devoted GBG customer ever since!

Not one to let a knee replacement slow her down, Tannie pulled herself out of her oversized chair (declining assistance) and began a tour of her beloved haven, sharing stories and pointing out cherished items found on her visits to GBG.  Her original estimate that 80% of her décor originated from GBG almost seemed on the low side as she went from room to room sharing fond recollections, even revealing more GBG buys kept out of sight, stored neatly within drawers, cabinets and closets.  Tannie jokes that she and her friends refer to her hidden treasure troves as “Tannie’s Store,” where there is always a beautiful piece for whatever is needed – a friend needing to borrow, a special or seasonal occasion, even gifts lovingly chosen to bless her loved ones with.

Everything from furniture, prints, candelabras, vases, urns, mirrored trays, picture frames, even tapestries have found their way from our store into a picture perfect spot in her home.  Our hostess explains that the items may have a little dirt or grime, but once she sees it, she sees the potential of the piece after a nice polish.  “There is no trash,” she says.  And if you have the experience and knack that Tannie exhibits, you would find a little spray paint will go a long way when more than a polish is needed.  She is a self-proclaimed spray paint queen, able to transform a ho-hum item into something that looks as if hundreds of dollars were spent at a high-end furniture store or boutique.  She also discloses another of her tips – she purchases greenery and silks for floral arrangements only at GRACEful Buys!

Friends of Tannie often ask how it is that she always is able to spot these gems.  She advises that you must look up and down – floor to ceiling – in the store, not just at eye level.  And yes, you do have to go back again and again as our inventory has a high rotation.  But that is how she tracks down her treasures, and Tannie does not mind one bit repeated visits to our store as it is so much more than shopping to her.  She also explains, “if it is meant for you, you will find it.”

Tannie fondly recounts some of the many experiences she has had in GBG.  Oftentimes she has witnessed an individual without the funds needed to complete a purchase, when another shopper – a stranger – offers to help with the purchase.  She has had many instances where she was able to bless another shopper herself.  She thanks God that He placed her in a position to help another person.  As a woman with a good eye for a good find, Tannie regularly catches other shoppers taking notice of the items in her basket, she will then allow people to shop out of her cart!  That’s when you know you have good taste!  And again she is grateful and blessed to show kindness.

“I am passionate about the fact that there is a place people can go to shop, and not just enjoy finding good buys but also enjoy fellowship.  You come out refreshed, more compassionate and feel like someone cares as you go out from there.”

A frequent gathering place for company, out-of-town visitors and parties (and who wouldn’t want company when your home looks like this!), Tannie constantly has guests asking where she shops.  She loves bragging on GRACEful Buys, sharing her “go-to” with people who have never heard of our store.  Out-of-towners visiting always get a trip to GBG with Tannie; she gets a kick out of her returning visitors that request a stop at GBG every time they are in the area.

It was a particularly happy day when Tannie came across her exact pattern of wedding china at GRACEful Buys Euless.  Of course she snatched up every piece.  It’s times like these that she feels God’s sweet ways of delighting her – the surprise of finding the wedding china she chose over 34 years ago, the instrumental ways the Lord allows individuals to lend a helping hand and others to witness those situations, the dear friendships built among shoppers and store staff – GRACEful Buys is SO much more than just a retail store.  Tannie cannot say enough wonderful things about the relationships she has built with GRACEful Buys team members, particularly her admiration for GBG Store Manager, Terri Haun.  Yes, it is always a happy day when Tannie stops into GRACEful Buys, and she teases it’s a happy day for her husband the rare times she leaves without making a purchase – pat on the back deserved!

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GRACEful Buys Euless
700 W. Euless Blvd.
Euless, TX 76040
817-283-0977
Mon-Sat: 9:30a.m. – 7:00p.m.
Sunday: 1200p.m. – 6:00p.m.

GRACEful Buys Grapevine
418 East Northwest Hwy
Grapevine, TX 76051
817-481-6254 or 817-251-3939
Mon-Fri: 9:30a.m. – 7:00p.m.
Sat: 9:00a.m. – 7:00p.m.
Sunday: 12:00p.m. – 6:00p.m.