Gavin Sellers Creative
The Aiken Boys
David, Page, Harry, and Johnathan Aiken (with Shelby)
The Aiken Family embodies Elegant Island Living’s celebration of coastal character (and characters!) for our March issue. Islanders for generations, the Aiken lineage fills volumes of St. Simons and Coastal Georgia history books. And the Aiken Boys – Harry, David, and Page – grew up on island as striking, adventurous, and fun-loving islanders, involved in every aspect of coastal life – with quite a bit of local lore.
Hundreds of years ago, as one of the island’s founding families, real estate – the purchase and sale, development, and preservation of our island landscapes – became a part of their family legacy, which continues even today.
EIL sits down with Page Aiken, owner of Aiken Partnership Real Estate, and his youngest son Johnathan to talk land, water, and love for our coastal paradise. Jacob, who also works for Aiken Partnership, is currently on his honeymoon at the time of this interview. His son Isaac works from home, has a great corporate job and “has 3 brains” according to Page.
EIL: Land is a part of your family legacy. When did it all begin?
PAGE: Our family started with William Page (my namesake) acquiring the first land parcels from Thomas Spaulding on the southern end of St. Simons. I have the original plats/deeds
“William Page, and his wife Hannah, had a daughter, Anna King, who became overseer of Retreat Plantation and planted (as a child) Avenue of the Oaks.”
~Page Aiken
EIL: Share a bit about “The Aiken Boys” and your legendary siblings Harry and David.
PAGE: Harry, David and I are 7th generation Islanders. Harry, my oldest brother, has lived on St. Simons his entire life. He was well known for his weekend newspaper and later magazine. His research into island history and events is amazing! He is a collector and maintains a treasure trove of Aiken and St. Simons Island history. He was married to Klickie Aiken – a well-known St. Simons real estate agent before she passed. They have one son, Harry Aiken, the 3rd, who lives in Atlanta. David is the middle brother. He and I grew up together going to Frederica Academy with B3 (Bill Jones III), Sam Torrey, Dick Scarlett and Hank Ream. David spent the last 30 years in Atlanta working as a headhunter for his own company. Today, David is retired but has an active role in financing real estate ventures.
The Aiken Men at King City Kitchen
Jason, Page, David, Harry, Johnathan, and Isaac at King City Kitchen
EIL: And your island story?
PAGE: My story has mostly always been real estate. I went to Frederica and then graduated from Glynn Academy. David Butler was one year behind me. Jim Benefield two. I graduated from UGA with an international business degree, worked for my father in Germany after college and then came back to the US and joined one of the largest commercial Real Estate firms in the world as a broker in Atlanta in 1980s. In 1993, I moved to Moscow and started a RE firm. That was a great run and is a story for another day.
In 2000, I moved back to Atlanta and took the lead developing a property owned by me, Harry and David. As the active partner, I managed the development of over 200,000 SF of commercial space. Like many other small developers, the recession caused me to pivot. I moved back to St. Simons in 2012 and returned to brokerage with a focus on St. Simons and Sea Island luxury homes. Today, my office is at the Marina and my boutique firm, Aiken Partners Real Estate, is considered one of the Island’s premier brokerages.
David, Jacob, Johnathan, and Page Aiken
EIL: How have island roots informed your business today?
Page: Not just growing up here and on Sea Island, but also raising our two youngest boys here. My wife, Maryellen, and I made the decision to raise Jacob and Johnathan here and, on the water, specifically. That lifestyle has been wonderful. I share this knowledge with clients.
Johnathan: It’s been awesome growing up here. Jacob had his boaters license at 12 years old, so we’d take our skiff out and explore every tiny little creek. We’d catch redfish and bring our dog with us. It was spectacular. That’s how we grew up on St. Simons. That was our way of life. Just being on the water.
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Johnathan and Jacob Aiken on the water
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Johnathan, Jacob & Page
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Isaac and Page Aiken
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Jacob Aiken
EIL: Johnathan, tell us your plans to join the family business?
Johnathan: I’m freshly licensed, but I do have to get a high school diploma…but I’ll be licensed as soon as I walk across the stage.
EIL: Family is clearly important. What else would you like to share with our readers?
Page: Faith is very important to me. I see so much of God’s hand on the special aspects of our island, whether it’s Epworth by the Sea or Christ Church, the lighthouse, Neptune Park, or for me personally, Mallery Park—a gift from my family to the community many years ago. More recently, the story of the Jones family giving the acreages to the churches on the north end where Wesley now sits.
Johnathan: You can capture the computational, comparative value of homes around you, but it’s the intrinsic value of being able to raise your children here—being able to go to church here—it’s more than just numbers. That’s what we aspire to do. Share our faith—in our business and in all our activities.
Our community has been touched by God and that’s something we hope to reflect in our business as well.
Johnathan Aiken
EIL: Page, what’s next for you and your family, as you move forward, considering land is a large part of the Aiken Family legacy?
Page: St. Simons is a spirit-filled place. God blessed this island—and we live in that environment. I see so much of God’s hand on the special aspects of our island. All these things I believe is part of the value proposition. That’s why people come here and want to raise their family here. It’s not just the outdoors. We have a community that is not only historically touched by God, but I see it throughout—sharing that aspect of living on St. Simons Island.
