We recently connected with Avery Watson and have shared our conversation below.

Avery, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

Starting a party store business in Oxford, I knew I wanted to lean into the Ole Miss culture. As an Ole Miss Alumni, I was familiar with the popular sayings and chants as I myself have said them countless times during my years at school here. So, knowing a huge portion of my customer base would be Ole Miss fans, or at least recognize an established Ole Miss saying, I had a starting point of which direction to take with the store name. I also knew I wanted “Party” in the business name so there would be no confusion as to what the business was. ‘Party in the Sip’ encapsulated everything I was desiring for a party store name. The choice was easy, as it fit perfectly while also celebrating the special community we have here in Oxford.

Avery, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I attended Ole Miss from 2016-2021 (Yes, of course I did a victory lap). While at school here I noticed there was not a designated party store in Oxford, or at least not that I knew of, and that blew my mind. How could there not be a party store in a college town? I recognized that, and at the time thought, “Oh! Someone should open one up!”. Little did I know, that someone would be me.
I graduated with an IMC degree from Ole Miss, moved back to my home state of Texas, and went into a corporate marketing job. The entire time I had the vision of a party store in the back of my head. God was working in my heart and I was feeling lead back to Oxford to open Party in the Sip. After a year at my marketing job, and through a turn of events that I can only explain as God ordained, I finally made my way back to Oxford and starting working towards opening up Party in the Sip. Party in the Sip opened December 8th, 2023 and we have been celebrating ever since!

Party in the Sip is a party shop, located on University Ave, specializing in party decor, balloons, and anything that can make your celebration or event special. With a few upcoming and very exciting additions to the business (stay tuned on our socials for that reveal). We want to help you make your party or celebration exactly what you envision, with the option of custom orders for themes or items we may not carry in store.

Our number one goal and priority is to leave every customer with a smile on their face, joy in their heart, and reminder that everyday is worth celebrating!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I think in today’s culture we are taught that being “successful” is highly dependent on money. The more money you make, the more successful you are. Since opening Party in the Sip, I have realized and learned that is not the case. Yes, making money in business is obviously important. But I believe that what is more important than the money, is the people. I think there is more of an impact in helping someone create a special celebration for someone they love than the amount of money they spend on that celebration. I believe connecting with other people, even if its just for ten minutes while they have a look around Party in the Sip, can bring more daily success and fulfillment than making a one time sale and never seeing that person again. I believe the success is in the relationships and community formed.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

The one book I have gone back to time and time again when remembering how I always want to handle business, and just life in general, is The Go-Giver, by Bob Burg and John David Mann. This book exemplifies the importance of giving, rather than getting. It is also a wonderful and necessary reminder to shift your focus to creating value for others, rather than yourself.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @shoppartyinthesip
• Facebook: Shoppartyinthesip

Image Credits

The Scout Guide, Jackson.