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Abel Busby, the son of Joanna and Stuart Busby, greets people at the door with lemonade. (Hunter Cloud | The Daily Leader)

The Eleanor has a garden filled with beautiful plants, church pews and a gazebo. It is still a work in progress but has great lighting for photography. (Hunter Cloud | The Daily Leader)

BROOKHAVEN — A red sign reading “Now Open” spanned across The Eleanor Vendor Gallery’s sign Tuesday morning. Owner Joanna Busby, her husband Stuart Busby and their son Abel awaited the first groups of customers to visit the new business. 

The Eleanor is located at 402 Drury Lane and is what Busby described as a “Moody Victorian,” home. It was built in 1910, likely by the Drury family. Busby bought it and has since seen the home transform into a space for 26 vendors and has rented out the office spaces upstairs. 

“I’m tired and exhausted but super happy my little girl’s dream is coming true,” Joanna said. “We have already started booking events. I have two weddings, two parties and some dates booked for photography sessions. It is exciting. I turned the room with the pheasants into a venue rental. I left the windows exposed so you can see into the garden area from up there and it will be great for pictures. I have talked to some local artists and hopefully we will have people on the porch play music on Saturdays.” 

Once a crowd started to gather on the porch drinking lemonade from Abel’s stand, they slowly trickled in to check out the vendor booths. Abel said he was selling the lemonade but for the special occasion it was free. Jewelry, signs, trinkets, soaps and clothes filled each room. 

While the vendors gallery will sell products, the home and garden will serve as an event venue. Joanna told The Daily Leader in January she hoped to one day turn the home into a bed and breakfast for weddings and have a separate space on the property set aside for vendors. 

Claire Wallace is one of the vendors selling antiques and jewelry at The Eleanor. She is a hairstylist at Deb’s Style Shop in Wesson but will have a booth in The Eleanor in her spare time with her mom Jody Upton. 

“It will have random finds and jewelry. I just make earrings made from clay and have done it for a few months,” Wallace said. 

Some of the first items purchased at The Eleanor Tuesday were two candle stands and a pink picture frame.

Once Abel cut the ribbon with giant scissors provided by Jillian Ricceri and Katie Nations with the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce, people stayed behind to chat on the porch or browse the selection inside. 

Abel picked up glistening silver confetti circles on the porch and spoke about adventure and treasure. His parents are proud owners of a house of treasures and start another chapter in their business adventure. 

“I like adventures because they can be anywhere,” he said. “You can also find treasure on adventures.” 

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