Canoe owner and designer, Lynn Kemp, is this North Georgia destination’s gold mine
Lynn Kemp and her husband originally pictured a charming mountain home as so many do – a vacation getaway from the busy life in Atlanta, but the getaway quickly became a permanent residence as the Kemps fell prey to the allure of Blue Ridge.
Only a handful of years later, Kemp’s hobby of jewelry design had gone from making spirit bracelets for her kids’ high school to creating the metallic icing on the models of “Sports Illustrated” Swimsuit Edition three years in a row.
Today, more than ten years later, Kemp’s bracelets are still sought after and now find a new position next to her handmade luggage and bag collection — wearable art designed for both men and women under the brand Canoe.
Kemp’s background in the fashion industry as a menswear buyers for Macy’s and later with Liz Claiborne Inc., gave her the know-how to go about developing a seasonal collection of jewelry instead of just bracelets. Factor in a few years of selling to friends, and Kemp was ready to make the jump to full-time jewelry designer, gaining instant recognition, including a licensing deal for jewelry under a different name that introduced her to the Gift Industry in Atlanta and New York and garnered Kemp invaluable contacts in sales, which have led to continuous growth.
What began as GawdyBobbles, the name of the company for the majority of the 11 years it has been in operation, is now Canoe — and Kemp’s business has grown from primarily jewelry to a complete line of leather bags, totes and accessories.
Kemp’s products, all of which are handmade in Blue Ridge, can be found at nearly 700 independent retailers, nationwide.
Visit her Blue Ridge retail store, Canoe, where she can be found helping customers pair leather totes with jewelry for a one-of-a-kind look.
“After moving here four years ago, I found a great space to rent in downtown Blue Ridge to move the making of my jewelry. I outgrew that space within a year and then moved to a 1,000-square-foot space for design and manufacturing,” says Kemp.
A year passed and Kemp again needed more space to manufacture and ship. So she kept her original space strictly for making and shipping the goods.
Kemp’s passion for the business knows no limits, perhaps a key ingredient – in addition to her talent – to her recipe for success. “There are so many parts of the business I love! I love designing a new line twice per year; I love working with a showroom designer who gives the wholesale spaces at AmericasMart a new look each season; I love pushing myself to keep growing the business; I love keeping it all made in Blue Ridge!” she says. “I also love working with the women at Canoe as they are invaluable to the business, including my daughter Haley.”
If you go
From lake-view with a mountain vista and room for 20 to cabins hidden away and built only for two (hot tub included!) find links to cabin rental companies atwww.BlueRidgeMountains.com.
Fannin County Chamber of Commerce, www.BlueRidgeMountains.com, 1-800-899-MTNS.