Business Visit 12/11/25: Southern Customs

We recently had the pleasure of visiting with Christie Johnson, owner of Southern Customs of Goreville, at her new storefront—opened in May of this year!

Christie shared her inspiring entrepreneurial journey, reminding us that success doesn’t always follow a straight path. From college out of state, to returning home, raising a family, helping in her grandmother’s ceramics business, and exploring multiple career paths, Christie ultimately discovered her passion for hands-on creative work.

What began with ceramics evolved into custom vinyl cutting, large-scale decals around Goreville, and eventually expanded into sublimation, and screen printing. Christie operated her business out of her garage until the City of Goreville—through the support of the mayor and TIF funds—helped her acquire a downtown building perfectly suited for her growing business.

Christie also spoke candidly about one of the biggest challenges of entrepreneurship: marketing and getting customers through the door. To meet that challenge, she’s excited to soon add ice cream and coffee to her offerings—creating an inviting space while bringing something new to the community.

We are grateful to Christie for sharing her story and insights and for being a great example of perseverance, creativity, and community investment.

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