Every fall, porches across Bulloch County bloom with color — not just from mums and pumpkins, but from the traditions that bind families and communities together. At the center of that seasonal glow is Southern Porchside Pumpkins, a small business founded by Kim Simpson and Mandi Page, two friends with a passion for decorating, a love of fall, and a vision to bring a bit of magic to front porches across the region.
Simply put, “Southern Porchside Pumpkins is all about spreading joy during the fall season,” Kim said.
That joy, it turns out, is contagious.
A (pumpkin) seed of an idea
The business began not in a boardroom, but at a birthday dinner. During a celebration for a friend’s 60th, both women found themselves talking about a unique business concept they’d each noticed out of state — a company that delivered pumpkins and decorated porches for the fall season.
“We both loved the idea and started planning that night,” Kim said.
Within weeks, they had mapped out porch packages, experimented with decorating styles on friends’ homes, and photographed their work to begin offering their services to the public.
From friends to partners
Though both women attended South Effingham High School, they weren’t close at the time. Their friendship began years later when their husbands started working together at Advanced Valve & Instrument. Over the past 14 years, their bond has grown through family, friendship and a shared love for holiday decorating — especially in the fall.
“During our test season last year, we discovered how much joy porch decorating brought not only to us, but also to the families we decorated for,” Kim said. “That joy became the inspiration behind launching Southern Porchside Pumpkins.”
Their partnership thrives on complementary strengths. Kim brings a background in customer service and online marketing. She handles logistics, web design and the behind-the-scenes “nuts and bolts” that keep the business running smoothly. Mandi, a third-grade teacher at Brooklet Elementary School, contributes creativity, attention to detail and a natural flair for design. She also runs a successful TikTok account, @theclassroomhustle, giving her valuable experience in social media engagement.
“When it comes to design, she doesn’t leave a porch until every pumpkin is in its perfect place,” Kim said of her business partner.
Pumpkins with purpose
Southern Porchside Pumpkins offers more than just a doorstep delivery. Customers choose from packages sized for their porch and can opt for a DIY bundle or full-service design. Add-ons like mums and hay bales complete the look, and at the end of the season, the team even offers pick-up service.
But the mission doesn’t end with decorating. From the beginning, Kim and Mandi wanted their business to give back, so a portion of all pumpkin packages sold is donated to Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, a charity that serves every county to which they deliver.
“To our knowledge, there isn’t (another) pumpkin delivery service in our area,” Kim said. “Our goal is to find beautiful, unique pumpkins that surprise people when they walk up to their home. We want them to love coming home and have the desire to spend time with family and friends — because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.”
Still, the road to launching their business has seen its share of challenges. From rebuilding social media accounts after their original ones "mysteriously disappeared" to filing for an LLC and creating a website, every step has been a lesson in entrepreneurship.
“Fall 2025 marks our first official pumpkin delivery season, and while we know there’s still plenty to learn, we’re excited to keep improving and making next year even better,” Kim said.
Behind them is a network of family and friends who have cheered them on, pitched in with photography, passed out postcards, and listened to pumpkin talk year-round.
“Shout out to all of (them), because we wouldn’t be where we are without them,” Kim said. “They are our biggest cheerleaders and the key to us balancing it all.”
Precious memories, new traditions
Fall carries a special kind of magic, and for Kim and Mandi, it’s rooted in family memories.
Kim can’t talk about fall without remembering her Nana, who loved autumn so much that she owned a pair of festive socks for every holiday of the season.
“Now, I find myself carrying on many of those same traditions … with my kids and husband,” she said. “I miss her dearly, but I know she would have absolutely loved Southern Porchside Pumpkins.”
For Mandi, it’s the fall festivals with her family she fondly recalls as a child — experiences she now enjoys recreating with her own children.
“Every year we visit Poppell Farms, my aunt and uncle’s pumpkin patch in Jesup, and we always make a trip to the fair,” she said. “At home, we’ve built our own traditions, too — painting pumpkins together … baking pumpkin muffins, and decorating the house the very first weekend of fall.”
For both women, those personal traditions are what fuel their desire to create joy for others.
“This time of year is all about bringing family and friends together,” Kim said. “The air turns crisp, football games fill our weekends, s’mores roast over the fire, and conversations linger a little longer. A beautifully decorated porch adds the perfect touch — welcoming guests with warmth before they even step inside.”
The seasons to come
Looking to the future, Kim and Mandi hope to expand their delivery area beyond Bulloch, Chatham and Effingham counties, where they’re currently taking orders. Still, they encourage anyone interested to reach out, even if they’re outside the current service range.
“While we may not always be able to fit in extra deliveries this season, your interest helps us plan for the future and shows us where the community would love to see us grow,” Kim said.
Though expansion is a goal, joy remains the focus. Whether decorating a front porch, a storefront, or even a pool house or courtyard, their mission is the same: to bring people together and remind them to find beauty and tradition in something as simple as a pumpkin.
