Howdy! During a time like this, we need to support our local businesses in order to keep them open!

Thanks to Governor Abbott, restaurants have the ability to open at 25% capacity and retail shops operating curbside delivery as of last Friday (May 1). Additionally, May 8th, hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, waxing salons, are able to be open for operation! Of course, this has been met with a mix of reactions, but overall, places are starting to open up. I will continue to enjoy my food as takeout for a couple more weeks, but I’m happy for the local businesses!

So, speaking of local businesses, I want to do more for my Austin area businesses, on a more consistent basis. I order takeout at LEAST once a week and try to remember to post about it on Instagram or Facebook but I don’t feel like that’s enough.

Introducing…

Where To Wednesday!

I will be posting every Wednesday at one o’clock PM a small local business that I have supported (or am supporting) via Instagram and Facebook. Most likely I will then post each month, every Where To Wednesday Business I support that month!

This could range from restaurants to waxing salons to online retailers!

For your business to be considered for #WhereToWednesday, you can email me at Bianca@ATXFYI.com or reach out to me on Instagram via ATX FYI!

I will say that if I am provided any products or services gratuitously, and I don’t enjoy it, I won’t share it with y’all… and I’ll explain that to the business! I want to be as transparent and genuine as possible.

For our FIRST Where To Wednesday, I’ve selected Jacques’ Old Fashioned Handmade Goods!

About JOF

Starting in 2015 (FUN FACT: That’s the year my fiance & I moved here!), JOF (Jacques’ Old Fashioned Handmade Goods) is run by husband & wife, Jacques & Kamille Deysel.

Originally, they started with Beard Care products, moving to locally sourced bees+soywax candles & beautiful leather goods.

Their leather goods are hand made/cut/dyed/sown/stitched here in AUSTIN!

I reached out to JOF via Instagram, asking what their most popular scents were and they mentioned Mahogany & Texas Merlot. Searching through their website, there were many things that piqued my interest!

Delivery

I ordered my candles on MONDAY, May 4th and I had them hand-delivered (no contact) the NEXT DAY! What SERVICE!!!

Additionally, Jacques & Kamille threw in an extra candle, which was so unexpected!! That, along with a handwritten note thanking for me for the ATX support. I’m so thoroughly impressed with this customer service!

(Ironically, I ordered some Bath & Bodyworks candles on Sunday for a gift for someone and they told me my order will be delivered around May 23rd… So, this just proves that we need to SUPPORT LOCAL!!!)

CANDLES

This package dropped off at my doorstep was adorable, with all of the candles wrapped up in pieces of brown bag, styled with twine and hand-stamped leather pieces. What a beautiful touch!

All of their candles are made in small batches of 5 - 10 candles using only local Austin ingredients. They offer 4oz cotton wick candles or 9 oz wood wick candles in amber jars. BUY THE 9OZ WOOD WICK CANDLES! It is SO satisfying watching & hearing the wood wick burn! It’s so beautiful.

Scents offered: Mahogany, Texas Merlot, Campfire, Leather, Honeycomb, Texas Coffee, Cypress, or Texas Cedar.

OTHER GOODS OFFERED

On top of candles, they offer leather goods and beard care.

Leather Goods: These items are designed, crafted, and created from locally sources leather hides while they hand dye, cut, stitch, and shape each item. They offer wallets, totes, clutches, glasses cases, and more!

Beard Care: The avenue where JOF originated, their essential oils used are locally sourced and high quality. They sell beard wax and beard oil which was developed by Jacques and Kamille.

Overall, I am so excited to start this new journey with #WhereToWednesday so I can help guide local Austinites as to where they should spend their extra coin in order to keep these local businesses thriving!

Cheers!