Award Winning Gift Wrapper
Vanessa West in Memphis, TN.
What do you like most about Memphis?
We moved to Memphis in the summer of 2020, from Nashville, right in the middle of the pandemic. I expected it to be a difficult transition, but the neighborhood stayed vibrant.
Families were out walking, kids rode bikes, people worked in their yards, and everyone seemed to find ways to safely connect.
We were able to meet many of our neighbors early on, which made settling in feel surprisingly welcoming during such a challenging time.
What’s your backstory?
After having my son six years ago, my original plan was to return to work in the counseling field once he started kindergarten — I have a Master’s in Counseling. But the longer I was away from the clinical setting, the less I felt drawn to go back.
Two moves and a pandemic later, we relocated to Memphis, TN for my husband’s job. During the holidays of 2020, I started offering gift wrapping as a fun way to connect with my new neighbors.
What started as a simple way to meet people quickly gained momentum and remained popular even after the holidays, eventually growing into a small business.
I worked out of my home for 2 years wrapping gifts. In 2022 I opened the brick and mortar shop which allowed me to move the service portion out of my home studio. I have a gift shop component as well.
What are your income streams?
There’s our brick & mortar shop and our e-commerce store.
A larger part of the business comes from our gift wrapping services.
Many of those are project-based — whether it’s on-site wrapping for events, corporate gifting, or large custom orders — which adds another layer to our revenue streams beyond just in-person and online retail.
How have you attracted new customers?
We’ve grown largely through word of mouth and strong local SEO. When people search for gift wrapping services in or around Memphis, we’re one of the first businesses they find.
I think being a one-of-a-kind service also helps — there aren’t many places that specialize in gift wrapping anymore.
Another major boost came from participating in The Ultimate Gift Wrapping Challenge on QVC+ in November 2024 — and winning! Since then, I’ve leaned into that “award-winning gift wrapper” title as a unique selling point.
What is your favorite product?
Our inventory changes often because I like to source from small makers and carry unique items you won’t typically find in big box stores.
Since I restock only a limited quantity, I’m constantly discovering new favorites — so my “favorite” tends to rotate.
Lately, I’ve been especially drawn to our specialty wrapping papers. They’re beautiful, unique, and as a gift wrapping service, specialty paper is almost always at the top of my list.
If you could go back, would you do anything differently?
I would have focused on creating a strong brand story from the very beginning and leaned more into storytelling to connect with my audience.
But as a solopreneur, it’s easy to get pulled in many directions with so much that needs to be done, and that piece feels more haphazard at the moment than I'd like.
What are your goals?
Over the next two years, my business goals have me leaning even more into gift wrapping — going back to the heart of what started it all.
Eventually, I plan to pivot from the gift shop model toward a paper and party-focused concept.
Financially, I’ve set a goal to grow the gift wrapping service by at least 10% by the end of 2025.
What platform do you use?
We predominantly use Instagram and Facebook. We utilize local media (print and tv) to have regular articles featured on us.
Do you have a favorite motivational quote?
My husband has shared the quote:
Comparison is the thief of joy
When I find myself comparing my business to others I remind myself of this.
Where can we find you online?
www.avenuewrapping.com or under avenuewrapping on all socials.