Words by Anna Lee Vaughn | Images by Justin Hunter
Janey Carter will host the grand opening of her new storefront for Paper by Janey, her greeting card business, on Saturday, June 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees can look forward to hourly giveaways of products including t-shirts, gift cards, and subscription boxes. At the new storefront, located at 105 18th Street East in Jasper, customers can find a wide selection of greeting cards for every holiday or occasion, each one crafted with Janey’s unique touch and mission to inspire and uplift others.
Seven years ago, Janey was in a car accident that left her paralyzed from the neck down. “I was on my way to volleyball practice. I had a car accident and dislocated my skull from my spine. The doctor said people with that kind of injury don’t usually make it to the hospital, but I did. It’s amazing,” she says with a smile.
Since then, Janey has made lots of progress, and during the COVID pandemic, Paper by Janey came to life. Mother’s Day 2020 was the first holiday after the pandemic shut businesses down, and Janey wanted to give people an online option for special, personalized cards.
“I made Bible verse cards for Mother’s Day, and a lot of people wanted them. People told me how happy their moms were to have a card made by me,” Janey recalls.
After the success of her Mother’s Day cards, Janey branched out to birthday cards and kept moving forward. While growing her business, Janey has amassed a following of almost 300,000 people on TikTok and nearly 500,000 on Instagram. She says it makes her feel good to encourage people with her story and with her cards.
The opening of her storefront marks yet another significant milestone in Janey’s journey, and she looks forward to seeing how her business will continue to thrive in this new setting. WL
You can check out more of Janey’s story on TikTok (Janey Carter) and Instagram (@paperbyjaney), and cards, custom orders, and monthly subscription boxes can be purchased at paperbyjaney.com.
