Augusta Training Shop incorporates new processes as business booms

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Back in December, we told you about a local artist with the Augusta Training Shop who spends his days making snowflakes and other wall decorations.

Due to a coincidence, just a few days after our story, the shop was featured on a national broadcast and is receiving orders from all over.

Now, eight months later, the shop has incorporated new designs and new processes to be able to fulfill orders faster.

We stopped by to follow up with artists like Trenton Martin to find out what this means to them.

“It’s a blessing,” said Martin.

He and his fellow artists spend their days making snowflakes and other decorations.

“Right now I am making the Augusta 2011 H.O. It’s one of our newest ones,” said Martin.

He said since the shop was noticed of national news, business has been booming.

“People have been calling us and going online and buying our snowflakes until our site crashed. I mean wow,” said Martin.

The support has come from people as far away as Maine, Ohio, Tennessee, and all over.

It’s something Martin says he never saw coming.

“I never expected in a million years we would get recognized so soon,” he said.

Jennifer Attaway, the program coordinator for the Augusta Training Shop, says as orders go out, love comes in.

“I’ve had people all over the United States call us just to thank us. They send the artisans notes and thank you cards and some have even come in and given them gifts,” said Attaway.

The support has created new opportunities.

“We have had to hire new people. We have to come up with new designs and it’s just changed everything for us,” she said.

It’s also warmed the hearts of their artists.

“It’s been wonderful. They love that our business is growing and more people know about us now,” said Attaway.

It’s something Martin and his fellow artisans are proud to be a part of.

“It makes me so happy and not only makes me happy, it makes everybody in the shop happy that we could make a difference,” said Martin.

If you would like to visit the training shop and purchase a decoration or meet the artists, they are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The shop is also always looking for volunteers.

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