Leann’s Nostalgic Nook is a store coming soon on Highway 78 in Tallapoosa, Georgia. This new store will feature a variety of vintage, antique, and hard-to-find goods. Leann Brackin, the store owner, explains that she wants there to be a little bit of something for everyone when they walk into her store.
Brackin states that “everything nostalgic has a place at Leann’s Nostalgic Nook.” As nostalgia looks different for everyone, she plans to have a unique variety of goods that may not fit into specific retail categories. This is why she does not categorize her store as an antique or thrift store. Instead, she wants to give “forgotten treasures” new life by helping customers find items that hold sentimental value.
Leann describes this store as a back-burner dream for her. When she was only in the second grade, she would take her Halloween candy and sell it out of her school desk for twenty-five cents a piece. Additionally, many of her favorite childhood memories were with her grandmother at yard sales and the Lithia Springs Flea Market. Both attending and hosting yard sales taught Brackin not only to appreciate those moments with her grandmother, but to value the sense of community that yard sales can foster.
After many years of dreaming about owning her own store, she finally began inquiring about empty spaces. She found one that needed a lot of work, but she could see the potential the space had to become her store. At that time, she was not aware that there was a second property included with the sale. That property contained a building that needed far fewer renovations than the first, allowing her to potentially open sooner than expected.
Brackin explains, “This isn’t just a store by a gas station; this is a store in the heart of Tallapoosa. I saw the for-sale sign, wrote the number down, and never in a million years did I believe I would actually be sitting at the closing table.”
Although she grew up in Douglasville, Brackin has lived in Haralson County for just over ten years. She believes the true charm of Tallapoosa lies in its rich history, and she is excited to bring something new to this community.
She describes her passion as “old stuff and antiques,” and this store is providing her the chance to turn her passion and long-term dream into reality. She also feels that it helps her stay connected to the memories of her late grandmother. As Brackin has been a stay-at-home mom for many years, she remarks that her children remain her top priority; however, she will do what she can to turn this store into something bigger.
Although she has a vision of what Leann’s Nostalgic Nook will look like once the doors finally open, she is also unsure of what the business may become in the years ahead. Her second building is intended to become storage, but it offers the opportunity for future expansion.
The most exciting part of opening the store for Brackin is hearing stories from her customers, and the sense of community she always experienced from yard sales. She elaborates, “Maybe I can make a difference in somebody’s life. Maybe I can share the gospel. Maybe I can tell somebody about Jesus.”
For her items are not just material objects; they are things that have lived multiple lives before reaching each new owner. Helping people find these objects and the stories connected to them is the true inspiration behind Leann’s Nostalgic Nook.
Brackin shares that she hopes to have the store open this coming September; however, she is unsure how long renovations will take. Although the building on Highway 78 is in better condition than the other property, there is still a list of necessary improvements before it will be ready for customers.
She adds that she is “putting all of her eggs in one basket” in order to chase this dream, and expresses her gratitude to both of her parents and her husband, who are making it possible for her. You can follow Brackin’s journey on Facebook under the profile name Leann’s Nostalgic Nook.
She hopes soon to be “bringing the past back to life one item at a time” at her location at 2160 U.S. Highway 78 in Tallapoosa, Georgia.
