George’s Girls moved into the new beachfront French Settlement building just last summer, expanding from a smaller Old Town location. “Purveyors of Fine Linens” is the shop’s tag-line, yet co-owner Laura Lucore points out that they carry all types of products to “make your home luxurious and to pamper yourself.”
There are actually four women who refer to themselves as “George’s Girls.” At the helm of the enterprise is Ann Yarbrough, with her three daughters Laura, Jennifer, and Karen. Ann’s husband, George was an engineer and the family traveled all over the world, eventually winding up in Waveland, where Ann’s parents had a home that had always been an anchor. The elder Yarbroughs became real estate partners there until July, 2011, when during a family vacation in Michigan, George passed away suddenly from a heart attack.
“To honor his memory, we decided to do what the four of us do best – and that’s shopping,” says Ann, with a smile.
Ann and Laura Yarbrough Lucore (who lives in Waveland), are the store’s mainstays, with Jennifer and Karen coming into town often, working in the shop during their visits. The four regularly storm the wholesale markets in Atlanta, going their separate ways in the three cavernous buildings filled with merchandize. Returning to their hotel room at night, they compare notes, deciding together what they’ll order for the shop.
This quartet of seasoned shoppers look for items produced by smaller family-owned companies, made with exceptional quality. For instance, elegant sleep and loungewear has become some of the shop’s biggest sellers. Versatile separates designed by PJ Harlowe and made in California are comfortable enough to wear to bed and stylish enough to greet company. And with fragrances, soaps, lotions, and fine bedding, George’s Girls stocks everything to transform a house into a haven. And what they don’t stock, they can order.
When the young business grew more quickly than any of them anticipated, the expansion into French Settlement seemed a natural. As Laura Lucore points out, “I get to work in this beautiful jewel all day, with light, and massive wood beams and a view of the water and beach.” The business is garnering more regular customers each day, while the family is growing closer with the common project. Ann Yarbrough is the first to admit that her husband never enjoyed shopping himself, but she’s quite certain that he’d definitely approve of the store that bears his name.