Oct. 28—Bear Creek Supply has opened just in time to offer custom gifts for the holidays.

Partner Lisa Stevens said the business at 2052 Dellwood Road in Waynesville offers print or embroidery custom apparel and gifts.

"We are also a small gift shop, but that is not our focus," she said. "We currently serve the first responders in our area for custom T-shirts and other merchandise for their organizations to wear or use for fundraisers."

A case in point, she said, is to look for the autism and breast cancer awareness insignia being worn by Waynesville Fire Department staff and other organizations.

After working with organizations across the county, Stevens said she and her husband Tim decided to open a walk-in store in early October.

Tim Stevens is a retired FireMedic and an Air Force veteran who currently works as a 911 dispatcher for the Haywood County Sheriff's Office. Lisa Stevens has 35 years experience in retail merchandising and management.

"Together we have a heart for our first responders and our local small businesses and strive to bring them fair prices on the merchandise they need," she said.

Bear Creek Supply offers T-shirts, long-sleeve shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, caps, beanies, license plates, as well as gift items like photo ornaments and memory boxes. The store also has a "few fun gifts like bagged coffee, sodas, snacks, kids books, plush, soaps and lotions and more," she added.

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Learn more on the store's website.