Five years ago, Christi Sheffield and her mother Debbie Taylor opened the Blue Giraffe, a beloved art gallery and gift shop in Watercolor.

Since then, the Blue Giraffe has been a must-see for visitors who year after year and month after month return to see what new and unique finds the store has on display. For locals, it’s a hub for the art community and a great spot to grab the perfect gift.

We pulled Christi aside for a few moments to chat about how the gallery has evolved over the past five years.

How do you feel five years after opening the store?

“People tell us all the time they can’t wait to come back and see what’s new at the shop and that just makes us feel really proud and blessed to be here.”

What has changed the most since you opened?

“It’s much less seasonal than it was that first year or two. We are seeing more steady traffic consistently throughout the year, which is nice because it’s a challenge owning a business in the off season.

“Also, this week we just launched online shopping that we’re hoping will help us reach our customers year-round. We have such a huge fan base we figured why not let them shop with us from home.”

How has the store and gallery evolved since you opened?

“Well, the answer really is that it hasn’t. Our basic goal from the beginning was to keep the same heart and soul that the former owner had created, which is joyful and whimsical and inspirational. I feel like we’ve done that really, really well. To me, that’s the meat of our business that happy, joyful feeling people get when they are in here.”

Learn more at bluegiraffe30a.com.