There’s definitely something special about the local businesses and the business owners in Lake Travis. They love what they do and their passion is not only evident, it’s contagious. It makes living local fun for all of us.
This certainly holds true for LT’s family owned and operated gift boutique, Point of Origin in Lakeway. It’s your go-to shop for personalized, witty, one-of-a-kind and specialty items.
Point of Origin features brands like Alex and Ani, Brighton, Tyler Candles, Sorrelli, Ivy Jane, MissMe and Johnny Was just to name a few. They have wonderful lake-themed items like glass tumblers etched with “Lakeway,” “Steiner Ranch,” “Bee Cave” and our super cool zip codes. Plus, they carry lake-theme Maple Leaf at Home cutting boards and Lazy Susans that made Oprahs’ Favorite Things list in 2013. The fun doesn’t end there, because they also sell locally made chocolates and gourmet goodies that will satisfy every palette.
“We are a family business,” explains owner Jaime Cardinal. “Mom does the buying, dad does the book-keeping and I run the store. It takes a village, and I’m very blessed to have the support of such a wonderful family.” Jaime recently became a mom in September, so juggling the responsibilities of a new baby and a thriving company isn’t always easy. Luckily “Grammy” is happy to help and has been lending a hand in the front of the store.
Since Jaime’s family purchased the store in 2007, it has grown from 800 square feet to 2,300 square feet to its current size of 3,500 square feet in the space that was formerly the Lake Travis Library. Believe it or not, Point of Origin has always existed in the same shopping center, Lohmans Crossing Shopping Center (near Chair King) at 2300 Lohmans Spur.
Expansion has given Jaime the chance to add special touches to her store like the beautiful candy display and the addition of clothing and accessories. In fact, Jaime claims she has had the “retail bug” since she was 15 years old and worked at a candy store and gift shop. Since then, Jaime has always wanted to sell chocolates and thanks to local companies like Sweet Shop USA, Point of Origin always has a wonderful selection of hand-dipped truffles.
Another thing about Point of Origin that tugs on your heart strings is their support and involvement with local non-profits like LT Love and Lake Travis Crisis Ministries. Jaime is always hosting in-store events to give back to Lake Travis, support local businesses and celebrate her customers. It’s not just a store filled with pretty things, it’s hospitality at its finest.
