The Villages - January 2018 - 29

Tami Thomas Brings

Tees
&
greens
To Lake sumTer Landing
Story By rica LewiS | PhotoS By roB wiLkerSon

"Timing is everything," Tami Thomas noted. Her
spontaneous discovery of The Villages attests. Thomas
explained that she was working the counter at her golf
store in Savannah, Georgia, when a big white tour bus
arrived.
"A group of people poured out of the bus and into the
store," she said.
As they shopped, Tami chatted with them and learned
they had come from The Villages.
"They begged me to open a store here, but I'd never even
heard of The Villages," she said.
Thomas decided to take a day trip to the area.
"My GPS brought me right to Lake Sumter Landing
(Market Square)," she said.
With golf carts whizzing in all directions, Thomas sat
and watched the community, mesmerized.
"I couldn't believe what I saw," she said. "I recognized
all the golf apparel - stuff that I carried in my store. I
thought, 'These are my people.' So I called my business
partner that day and said, 'We need to be here.'"
Tees & Greens opened its doors in May. The boutiquestyle store carries premium golf clothing and products at
discount prices.
"I have a relationship with vendors and I'm lucky to
get close-out specials so I can keep my prices low," Thomas
explained.
Happy to have established her store before the snowbird
season commences, Thomas said she has been well warned.
"'You better get ready, Tami,' they tell me. It's going to
get busy around here," she said.
In the meantime, Thomas and her staff are getting to
know their customers.
"Their feedback has been helpful," she said. "They tell
me what products and brands they like, and I've had the
time to check into things."
Villages resident Linda Kidder joined the team shortly
after moving to the community.
"I came as a shopper and thought it would be a fun place
to work," Kidder said.

Having retired from an administrative job, Kidder said
she was looking for an active place to work - somewhere
she could move about and chat with people.
"I liked it so much, I convinced my husband, Bob, to
come aboard," Kidder said.
Thomas scanned the store and greeted a pair of female
shoppers.
"All of this because of a tour bus," she said, smiling.

I couldn't believe what I saw. I
recognized all the golf apparel - stuff
that I carried in my store. I thought,
'These are my people.' So I called my
business partner that day and said,
'We need to be here.'
- Tami Thomas

MAGAZINE

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Villages - January 2018