- 3:46 PM
- 0 Comments
Good evening friends. Today we are interviewing booth owner, Theresa Rivers from Now and Then Vintage. I hope all of you will stop by and visit, Theresa's Facebook page. It's new and needs some love and likes.
1. How long have you been a vintage dealer? I've been a dealer for five years.
2. What type of setting are you in? I'm in a large antique mall/indoor flea market, with over 350 booths and showcases. We have a mix of antiques, vintage, and collectibles, along with clothing, books, household items and other merchandise.
3. How many booths do you have? I have one booth and a showcase. I have had more spaces in the past, but for time management purposes, just these two spaces work best for me right now.
4. What do you sell? Furniture, suitcases, antique hardware, crates, jars, doors and windows, pictures, mirrors, vintage jewelry, toys, ephemera, sewing notions, aprons, bow ties, lamps and Pyrex. I recently switched up from selling vintage clothing and accessories to focus more on home décor.
5. What do you find sells the most? With the vintage clothing, wearable and on-trend pieces were the best sellers. With my new merchandise, so far it's been vintage bow ties, Ball jars, furniture, Pyrex and vintage Barbie clothing. Christmas always sells, so do items in certain colors, like turquoise, red, cream and pink.
6. What do find sells the least? I do not have success with glassware, however, those booths that have only or mostly glassware seem to do well. It seems a big grouping is more impressive to customers and they will buy it from those dealers.
7. Why do you think your booth has been successful?I try to stage my booth in an attractive way, with creative displays and frequently add fresh vintage to my stock. I keep it clean and uncluttered with lots of room for buyers to browse around. I keep my booth seasonal, too, and follow the larger retail picture. For instance, now is the time for back to school (already!) and to stock up on fall items. In our area, we have several festivals and events, and we get customers in the store who are traveling to the area to attend those events, so I can theme my merchandise to suit those interests.
8. How often do you refresh your booth? I am in the store five days a week, since I am the store manager! So I refresh almost daily, bringing in new items, staging them and cleaning my booth before and after work hours.
9. What mistakes have you made and learned from as dealer? I've learned to stock my booth with pieces that people will buy! For example, I love mid-century modern, but in the store's area, it is just not in demand. People like rustic and shabby, and it sells best. So I keep the mid-century to myself and seek out other items for my booth.
10. What advice do you have for someone just starting out? Work your booth as often as possible! Treat it as a business and use social media to promote your wares. Buy low, so you can actually make some money on your items. Set your booth up like a little shop, in an attractive way. Think through your larger, anchor pieces for display-try to avoid folding tables and yard sale-like pieces for your set up. Develop your own individual style and presentation, and enjoy it! It is a lot of fun, but be ready for work and chunks of time devoted to your booth.
11. What do you think the number one mistake is that unsuccessful dealers make? They don't anticipate the time involved with having a booth. We often hear vendors in our store talking about slow sales, but then they admit they haven't been in to tend their booth in weeks! The vendors who come in most often to refresh and rearrange are the most successful. We see that every day in our store. Also, the pricing has to be on point, one of the biggest challenges.
12. Do you do this full time? No, at this time it is a part time venture! I am lucky to work in an environment where I am surrounded with beautiful and interesting objects all day, and I love that. I hope to be a full time dealer in a few years, but right now I am keeping my day job, as they say!
13. Do you stick to a specific color scheme with your booth? I do like a color scheme, it helps guide me on purchases and projects, and makes a booth attractive. Right now I have lots of rustic and/or weathered wood, with pops of turquoise and red. I've also used cream and beige with pink, a very soothing and tranquil look. It's somewhat “girly” though, so not as many male customers entered the booth to browse.
14. Do you utilize social media, and if so, which ones work best? Yes, I use Facebook and Pinterest. They were both especially helpful when I had an online shop on one of the vintage/handmade sites. I've just started building up my Facebook page as a booth dealer, and it does take some time to get that following, but I'm working on it! I also use the online classified site-it's free, you can put pictures on it, and when your items are in a store, you don't have to worry about strangers coming to your home.
15. What is an average month in sales for your booth? It varies, according to the season. Just let me say I'm not getting rich, but it is a viable source of income!
16. How do you break down and come up with your prices? I try to get at least double, and prefer three times my purchase price. I've learned to avoid purchasing project pieces that require a great deal of time to fix up, because sometimes the time spent is just not worth the actual resale price. I compare my items to others in the store and price accordingly. Sometimes dealers say, “This item goes for such and such on the online auction site,” and I feel that is not a realistic price comparison. We've found that dealers and pickers come to our store to resell elsewhere and look for a little profit margin themselves. That's just our setting, though. When pricing, I take into account the percentage that the store charges. And I leave a tad bit of wiggle room in case a customer wants to negotiate the price, unless I want the price to remain firm.
Do you have anything further to add to this interview? A bit of advice for dealers, if you're having challenges with your booth, talk to the store staff. You'll find they are a great source of information and want to support you as a dealer and help you succeed. For example, if you're going on vacation, let the staff know. In our store, we will check on booths and straighten while you're gone. Everyone wins when dealers do well! Sometimes, I have to love a special item for a while, and then I'm ready to let go. Every once in a while I purge and donate-if it's not selling, price it low and/or give it up. Once you get into selling, it kind of gets in your system. I've heard many dealers say that selling antiques and vintage is an addiction, and it is! I wish everyone enjoyment, and happy selling!
Thank you again, Theresa for sharing all this info with us. We appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day.
- 7:17 PM
- 0 Comments
Hi friends. Today, we are interviewing Bobbie Weber. She is the owner of a beautiful shop in Crestline, CA called: Three Sisters Home Decor and Antiques. This interview is going to be a little bit different from our normal Vintage Dealer interview. We thought it would be nice to hear from a shop owner for a change. Kind of see what goes on behind the scenes. Hope you enjoy. So here goes:
My Name is Bobbie Jo Weber. Im from Hesperia California, which is Southern Californa. I have been a shop owner since early 2000's. I'm the Daughter of a family of small businesses, so I have been raised around small business my whole life. I worked for my parents Feed & Western Clothing Store as a Manager for many years. I was raised on an 80 acre Ranch with 2 older brothers and Parents.... Our Ranch had many Antiques & my Mom always took me to Yard Sales. I have owned several shops & sold most of them. My shop Name is Three Sisters for My Three Daughters, they are still young 7-11-14 and a son who is 20 he is my right hand, he has already owned an Antique Store as well.... he still Picks some of the Greatest Finds & sells at my Store... he has a client list as well. I chose the Name Three Sisters because first off is Sang to my Soul and I wanted to Open the Doors for my Little Ladies if they ever want to Be Independent and follow there Heart I would have something to Give them in the future.
1. How long have your been a shop owner? Since early 2000's
2. How large is your store? My store is about 1,000 sq ft and has a court yard and a sweet Porch.
3. Do rent out booth space? No, not at this time.
4. Before becoming a shop owner, were you a vintage dealer? Yes.
5. What do think your hot ticket items are that customers just can't get enough of? My Customers can not get enough of the Furniture that I create,Design and paint in my Original Color Schemes. Also they can not get enough of my original treasures I find.
6. What are your non selling items? My non selling items I would have to say Kitchenware and the 60's/70's items.
7. Do you think the shabby look is still selling very well? I would have to say its my lively hood. I truly believe Woman will always have a Love for the White Pinks pales... The way I decorate I texturize and feed in a little of glass metal floral fabric.... Many of my Customers Fall in Love when they walk in Shop.. many people say its Magical... I truly feel we are enchanted and romanced if the Right Tools are in Place, which for me is Smell (candles) Sound of Water.....taking an old beat up dresser chair chandler and breathing new Life into it.......I believe in most Ladies there is that Little Girl that Loves and Connects with The Feminine inside her when she steps into a Total Frilly & Fancy Shop. There are many ways to Create a Magical Shop... when I listened to my Heart it took me to a beautiful place... My very own Magical Play House I created..... and I get to Share with everyone which brings me such Joy.
8. Do you sell a lot of industrial chic and salvaged items? Yes I texturize with Salvage when I stage my shop which I do many times a week. My Son has a great eye for Salvage and has a Love for the Old as well so we make a Great Team.
9. Do you utilize social media? If so, which ones work best for you? Yes I do use Social Media which I use Facebook which has worked wonderful for me.
10. Does your store offer classes? Not during the Summer. That is Our Busiest time of the Year.
11. Does your shop offer any of the chalk paints? I do not sell any of the Chalk Paints.... My Customers love my paint that i make and Use and so my buying customers receive a free sample size with there new purchase to touch up in the feature etc. I feel how can I tell customers to Buy Chalk paint if I don't use chalk paint myself....I think Chalk Paint is A great Product but I have to keep my Cost down in Order to Keep a Profit. My Customers want my colors that I create and so thats whats worked best for me.
12. Why do you think your shop has been successful? Well Three Sisters is the 6th Antique Store I have owned. Location Location. Location plays a key part in my success. I'm in a small Mountain Tourist town right on Main Street. The shop has Open Beam Ceilings which creates the foundation for a perfect Shop. My shop has a lot of Charm, don't get me wrong its a hustle. I don't ever have days off. I may not be at the shop but My phones always ringing or Im constantly Creating and Designing in my Head hahaha for those of You who can relate... many nights I stay awake super excited about designing the shop or a customers house...or out treasure hunting... You have to have a Huge Love for What Your doing and Believe in Your Very Own Magic... I believe everyone has there very own Magic and if You try to be like the next Girl... I believe You will Fail.... Its been a long road to get to The Place I'm at today..... Family Tragedy & hardships & just the Ups and Downs of Owning a small Business with an economy that lets face it.... struggles... So Keep a Passion & Love & Faith in Yourself and Most of All My Faith In The Lord has Gotten me to this Beautiful Place.
13. What advice would you have for someone going into business for themselves? If someone were going into Business with a Brick & Mortar what advise would You offer them? Seek out Other Antique Shop owners & Vendors for there point of view on business & maybe try to be a Vendor First in that area your wanting to Open a Shop in to see what people are buying and like.
My Name is Bobbie Jo Weber. Im from Hesperia California, which is Southern Californa. I have been a shop owner since early 2000's. I'm the Daughter of a family of small businesses, so I have been raised around small business my whole life. I worked for my parents Feed & Western Clothing Store as a Manager for many years. I was raised on an 80 acre Ranch with 2 older brothers and Parents.... Our Ranch had many Antiques & my Mom always took me to Yard Sales. I have owned several shops & sold most of them. My shop Name is Three Sisters for My Three Daughters, they are still young 7-11-14 and a son who is 20 he is my right hand, he has already owned an Antique Store as well.... he still Picks some of the Greatest Finds & sells at my Store... he has a client list as well. I chose the Name Three Sisters because first off is Sang to my Soul and I wanted to Open the Doors for my Little Ladies if they ever want to Be Independent and follow there Heart I would have something to Give them in the future.
1. How long have your been a shop owner? Since early 2000's
2. How large is your store? My store is about 1,000 sq ft and has a court yard and a sweet Porch.
3. Do rent out booth space? No, not at this time.
4. Before becoming a shop owner, were you a vintage dealer? Yes.
5. What do think your hot ticket items are that customers just can't get enough of? My Customers can not get enough of the Furniture that I create,Design and paint in my Original Color Schemes. Also they can not get enough of my original treasures I find.
6. What are your non selling items? My non selling items I would have to say Kitchenware and the 60's/70's items.
7. Do you think the shabby look is still selling very well? I would have to say its my lively hood. I truly believe Woman will always have a Love for the White Pinks pales... The way I decorate I texturize and feed in a little of glass metal floral fabric.... Many of my Customers Fall in Love when they walk in Shop.. many people say its Magical... I truly feel we are enchanted and romanced if the Right Tools are in Place, which for me is Smell (candles) Sound of Water.....taking an old beat up dresser chair chandler and breathing new Life into it.......I believe in most Ladies there is that Little Girl that Loves and Connects with The Feminine inside her when she steps into a Total Frilly & Fancy Shop. There are many ways to Create a Magical Shop... when I listened to my Heart it took me to a beautiful place... My very own Magical Play House I created..... and I get to Share with everyone which brings me such Joy.
8. Do you sell a lot of industrial chic and salvaged items? Yes I texturize with Salvage when I stage my shop which I do many times a week. My Son has a great eye for Salvage and has a Love for the Old as well so we make a Great Team.
9. Do you utilize social media? If so, which ones work best for you? Yes I do use Social Media which I use Facebook which has worked wonderful for me.
10. Does your store offer classes? Not during the Summer. That is Our Busiest time of the Year.
11. Does your shop offer any of the chalk paints? I do not sell any of the Chalk Paints.... My Customers love my paint that i make and Use and so my buying customers receive a free sample size with there new purchase to touch up in the feature etc. I feel how can I tell customers to Buy Chalk paint if I don't use chalk paint myself....I think Chalk Paint is A great Product but I have to keep my Cost down in Order to Keep a Profit. My Customers want my colors that I create and so thats whats worked best for me.
12. Why do you think your shop has been successful? Well Three Sisters is the 6th Antique Store I have owned. Location Location. Location plays a key part in my success. I'm in a small Mountain Tourist town right on Main Street. The shop has Open Beam Ceilings which creates the foundation for a perfect Shop. My shop has a lot of Charm, don't get me wrong its a hustle. I don't ever have days off. I may not be at the shop but My phones always ringing or Im constantly Creating and Designing in my Head hahaha for those of You who can relate... many nights I stay awake super excited about designing the shop or a customers house...or out treasure hunting... You have to have a Huge Love for What Your doing and Believe in Your Very Own Magic... I believe everyone has there very own Magic and if You try to be like the next Girl... I believe You will Fail.... Its been a long road to get to The Place I'm at today..... Family Tragedy & hardships & just the Ups and Downs of Owning a small Business with an economy that lets face it.... struggles... So Keep a Passion & Love & Faith in Yourself and Most of All My Faith In The Lord has Gotten me to this Beautiful Place.
13. What advice would you have for someone going into business for themselves? If someone were going into Business with a Brick & Mortar what advise would You offer them? Seek out Other Antique Shop owners & Vendors for there point of view on business & maybe try to be a Vendor First in that area your wanting to Open a Shop in to see what people are buying and like.
14. What do you think the biggest mistakes are that vendors make? I think one of the biggest mistakes is letting Product go, sometimes there are times we have to Sell Items for what we have into them just to move items, I love moving product and keeping the store changed around all the time.... staging is another importance in being successful... Creating an atmosphere that is Your very own Magic.... Texturize Texturize & Lighting... learned this from a Dear Friend/ Artist when I first got into the business... I owe her a lot.... that is Ginny Gonzalez.
15. What do you think the biggest mistakes are that shop owners make? Same answer as before with vendors... add to that Keeping a safe small circle of People around You that You can trust and turn to.... In Life there are takers and givers and often times when a shop owner people want to take advantage of Your Kindness but stay Firm in Your beliefs and what You stand for.
Do you have anything further you would like to add? Any advice, tips or suggestions? I advise shop owners & vendors to research your area for MarketPlaces/Shows to join... in 2013 I join the Show called The Vintage Market Place located in Fallbrook/Rainbow California... Its a Show put on By Artist Christie Repasy & Rita Reade its one of the Best shows in Untied States with over 50 Vendors....it has been the Best Business decision for my Business..... I have customers that buy from me at The Shows that own there own Prop Studios/Companies.. so its put my Business on a Bigger Map....people from all over attend this show!
Thank you for asking me to do this interview for Booth Crush its been an honor and I hope this gives Ya guys an Idea of who I'am and what I stand for.... Anyone has any questions Facebook me at Three Sisters Crestline, California..
Thank you so much, Bobbie for a great interview. We appreciate you taking the time to share your story, tips advice and beautiful photos. Wish we lived closer so we could visit in person. But for now, we will just have to dream about it.
We hope you enjoyed this interview this week. We are looking for new vintage dealers to interview. So if you have been a successful vintage dealer for a year or longer. Please email us at BoothCrush@Gmail.com
- 11:44 AM
- 2 Comments
Last week while I was visiting the Queen of Hearts Antique Store in Marietta, I came across some interesting booths with walls that make you stop and go WOW!! There seemed to be a running theme with chalkboard painted walls and walls using old barn or pallet wood. Here are a few that I saw along the way.
- 1:55 PM
- 0 Comments
Good afternoon friends. We hope everyone had a great weekend. Welcome to our third
Vintage Dealer interview. If you missed the first two, just scroll down our page to see them.
We hope this will become a weekly Sunday event. We love doing these. So far they seem to
be a hit. If are a dealer that's been at this for over a year with successful monthly sales please
email us. We would love to talk to you. Be sure to check back next Sunday we have a
special interview we are doing with an Antique shop. So we will get to hear facts from a shop
owner's perspective. Today we are talking with, Geniece from Funky Junk in the County.
Vintage Dealer interview. If you missed the first two, just scroll down our page to see them.
We hope this will become a weekly Sunday event. We love doing these. So far they seem to
be a hit. If are a dealer that's been at this for over a year with successful monthly sales please
email us. We would love to talk to you. Be sure to check back next Sunday we have a
special interview we are doing with an Antique shop. So we will get to hear facts from a shop
owner's perspective. Today we are talking with, Geniece from Funky Junk in the County.
1. How long have you been a vintage dealer? Four (4) years now
2. What type of setting are you in? Antique Mall & Boutique/Vintage Store
3. How many booths do you have? Four (4) Booths, three (3) at the Antique Mall & one (1)
at the boutique/vintage store.
at the boutique/vintage store.
4. What do you sell? Antique, vintage, shabby chic & French Typography furniture, milk glass,
pink & green depression glass, garden items, luggage, lots of luggage, doileys, beaded purses,
vintage frames, mirrors, chalkboards, ball jars, anything unusual!
pink & green depression glass, garden items, luggage, lots of luggage, doileys, beaded purses,
vintage frames, mirrors, chalkboards, ball jars, anything unusual!
5. What do you find sells the most? My painted furniture, French typography is my best seller
because it's different.
because it's different.
6. What do find sells the least? Vintage tins
7. Why do you think your booth has been successful? I work my booths twice a week,
some weeks even more. Stocking your booth with unusual vintage finds, don't be afraid to be
different. Ask other dealers what is selling in their booths, I'm not afraid to network. Also keep
up on trends, what's popular on Facebook & Pinterest.
some weeks even more. Stocking your booth with unusual vintage finds, don't be afraid to be
different. Ask other dealers what is selling in their booths, I'm not afraid to network. Also keep
up on trends, what's popular on Facebook & Pinterest.
8. How often do you refresh your booth? I am always refreshing with new finds. Stopping
in, on average twice a week to restock, rearrange and stage items.
in, on average twice a week to restock, rearrange and stage items.
9. What mistakes have made and learned from as dealer? Pricing was difficult at the
beginning, but we have that under control now. Certain pieces I will mark as "firm", not willing to
budge on price. Other items the Antique Mall calls me and I can accept a lower price or
counteroffer! The right will come along, for the right price!
beginning, but we have that under control now. Certain pieces I will mark as "firm", not willing to
budge on price. Other items the Antique Mall calls me and I can accept a lower price or
counteroffer! The right will come along, for the right price!
10. What advice do you have for someone just starting out? Enjoy what you do, because
it is going to take time. If you have one bad month, don't give up. You will have good and bad
months, so stick with it. I track my monthly sales on a log book, so I know to save for the lower
sales months and spend wisely. Also know your customers, if they want shabby chic, don't stock
your booth with primitives. I have completely different customers for both locations, and I stock it
accordingly.
it is going to take time. If you have one bad month, don't give up. You will have good and bad
months, so stick with it. I track my monthly sales on a log book, so I know to save for the lower
sales months and spend wisely. Also know your customers, if they want shabby chic, don't stock
your booth with primitives. I have completely different customers for both locations, and I stock it
accordingly.
11. What do you think the number one mistake is that unsuccessful dealers make?
Pricing and giving up to soon.
Pricing and giving up to soon.
12. Do you do this full time? Not yet, I work full time as a banker. Then I spend just about
every waking moment working on my business. My plan is to retire in two years and be a full
time junker!
every waking moment working on my business. My plan is to retire in two years and be a full
time junker!
13. Do you stick to a specific color scheme with your booth? Yes, black & white! I love it,
then I add furniture or glass in pops of color!
then I add furniture or glass in pops of color!
14. Do you utilize social media, and if so, which ones work best? Facebook business &
personal pages, Instagram, Pinterest, a website and a blog. Instagram is my favorite! I really
appreciate all the encouragement I receive. When using social media I use my own photos,
I like to keep it real. Again, it takes time to build a following on social media. It doesn't happen
over night.
personal pages, Instagram, Pinterest, a website and a blog. Instagram is my favorite! I really
appreciate all the encouragement I receive. When using social media I use my own photos,
I like to keep it real. Again, it takes time to build a following on social media. It doesn't happen
over night.
15. What is an average month in sales for your booth? $2,800.00-$4,500.00 average
total, for all four (4) booths.
total, for all four (4) booths.
16. How do you break down and come up with your prices? Typically price items at three
(3) times what we paid for them. Larger furniture pieces are priced based on original cost of
piece, time spent on piece and cost of extras, i.e., handles.
Do you have anything further to add to this interview? Make sure you enjoy spending
your time finding antiques & vintage items, then haul them home, clean them up, paint them,
if need be, price them, haul them back to the antique mall, unpack them yet again, stage
them and finally..............wait for them to sell! I think you are getting the point, it is a lot of work!
As you have heard from a lot of dealers, if you are looking to get rich quick? You had better find a different line of business. It takes time, so keep your chin up so can see all that great junk and love what you do!
(3) times what we paid for them. Larger furniture pieces are priced based on original cost of
piece, time spent on piece and cost of extras, i.e., handles.
Do you have anything further to add to this interview? Make sure you enjoy spending
your time finding antiques & vintage items, then haul them home, clean them up, paint them,
if need be, price them, haul them back to the antique mall, unpack them yet again, stage
them and finally..............wait for them to sell! I think you are getting the point, it is a lot of work!
As you have heard from a lot of dealers, if you are looking to get rich quick? You had better find a different line of business. It takes time, so keep your chin up so can see all that great junk and love what you do!
Well that's it for this week's vintage dealer interview. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.
To find out more about Funky Junk from the County check out these links.
To find out more about Funky Junk from the County check out these links.
https://www.facebook.com/
www.funkyjunkfromthecountry.
Instagram: funkyjunkfromthecountry
Blog: http://www.
Funkyjunkfromthecountry@gmail.
- 12:45 PM
- 1 Comments
Hi friends. Starting this week, every Friday will be blogging a handful of booth pics that we receive from our readers. We've rec'd a lot of photos in the short time that we have been up. So if you don't see your booth, please don't take it personally. We have a lot of great photos to wade through. Enjoy!
Booth Crush # 1: Vintage Beauty
Booth Crush #2 The Red Brick Cottage
Booth Crush # 3 Cindy's Primitive Antique Heart
Booth Crush # 4: Possum Valley Vintage
Booth Crush # 5 We Heart Junk
Booth Crush # 6 Crazy Daizies
Booth Crush # 1: Vintage Beauty
Booth Crush #2 The Red Brick Cottage
Booth Crush # 3 Cindy's Primitive Antique Heart
Booth Crush # 4: Possum Valley Vintage
Booth Crush # 5 We Heart Junk
- 2:04 PM
- 1 Comments
We hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. Did you go anywhere or do anything fun? We watched the fireworks display in town and we've hit up some antique stores this weekend, but other than that. we've kept things low key. And speaking of antique stores, we are doing our second vendor Interview today. This is a day early, but if all goes well, we are going to switch this to Sundays.
For those of you that are new, and just stopping by for the first time, this is a new idea for us. We hosted our first one last week. If you missed it, and would like to read it you can click here. Today, we are talking with Barbara from Barb's Sassy Garden Glass. Thank you, Barbara for taking the time to talk with us.
1. How long have you been a vintage dealer? Right at about one year.
2. WHAT TYPE OF SETTING ARE YOU IN? I am in a flea market.
3. HOW MANY BOOTHS DO YOU HAVE? At this time, I only have one booth.
4. WHAT DO YOU SELL? I sell a combination of vintage items (mostly kitchen ware) and rustic hand made items. I also sell a lot of colored glass ware.
5. WHAT DO YOU FIND SELLS THE MOST? It will vary, but I seem to sell more of the kitchen wares.
6. WHAT DO YOU FIND SELLS THE LEAST? In my booth, my hand crafted glass yard art sells the least well. After that, large pictures do not do so well.
7. WHY DO YOU THINK YOUR BOOTH HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL? I think my booth is successful for a variety of reasons; I have a storefront window, so my items are seen from the sidewalk. The window also lets the sun shine through my colored glassware (which shows it off to it's best advantage) and I have a wide range of items and prices. You can find things from $1 to $200 in my booth. A little something for everyone.
8. HOW OFTEN DO YOU REFRESH YOUR BOOTH? I refresh by moving things around and adding a few new items at least once a week. I do a major refresh/overhaul at least once a month.
9. WHAT MISTAKES HAVE YOU MADE AND LEARNED FROM AS A DEALER? I have learned two main things; Always, Always research your item well before pricing it. The market in my area will NOT support ebay prices, and always price your items a tiny bit on the high side. You can always come down in price.
10.WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT? My biggest piece of advice is this; Do not expect to make a killing from your booth! The first month may be great, but there will be months that you barely make rent, and some months when you don't even do that well. Make sure that what you are selling is something that the market in your area does well with....but don't expect to do great if every other booth in the flea market is selling the same chalk painted furniture or chalkboard painted trays and mason jars.
11. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE NUMBER ONE MISTAKE IS DEALERS MAKE? From seeing vendors come and go in the last year, I think the number one mistake that dealers make is expecting to do great right away. They get discouraged and give up too quickly. Overpricing for your market area is another mistake that I see a lot.
12. DO YOU DO THIS FULL TIME? I guess you could say it's a full time job. I am always searching for items for my booth, crafting items, or volunteering/working at the flea market. I also spend a lot of time rearranging and freshening my booth. I noticed early on that those who don't work their booth often, usually don't sell much.
13. HOW OFTEN DO YOU TAKE NEW INVENTORY INTO YOUR BOOTH? I take new inventory in at least once a week. You've got to keep 'new' items flowing in for those frequent repeat shoppers.
14. HOW DO YOU BUDGET YOUR TIME? I don't really 'budget' my time, so to speak. I usually spend at least 3-4 hours a week looking for new merchandise. I spend at least 1½ hours each week cleaning, rearranging items, and restocking my booth. I spend approx. 25+ hours each week working on my handmade/craft items for my booth. I also work in the flea market around 20 hours each month.
15. DO YOU STICK WITH A SPECIFIC COLOR SCHEME? I do not stick with a particular color scheme. I have a pale brown rug on the floor, and the side walls are white. The wall the window is in, is painted a bluish color....these colors allow my colored glass to shine without any clashing or competition from my booth as a whole. From time to time, there will be a color that seems to be predominant, but that is usually by accident...not by design.
16. DO YOU USE SOCIAL MEDIA, AND IF SO WHICH ONES WORK BEST FOR YOU? The only social media I use is Facebook. I started the page for my yard art, and it has evolved to encompass all of my work. I have had people come to the flea market to buy something after they saw me post a photo of the item or my booth on my page. The fans of my page also give me great feedback whenever I make a major change in my booth. That helps me gauge how well the 'foot' customers will like (or not like) the new setup.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? I think the biggest piece of advice I would give to someone who is considering renting a booth is; Make sure this is something you really enjoy doing! If you are looking at a booth as strictly a way to make money, you will be disappointed. You have to love the hunt...the cleaning and/or repairing, the staging, and most of all ...the letting go of your items! If you are having fun, and you love what you do, you will sell more items and will have great repeat customers.
I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as we did. If you are a vintage dealer and have had a booth for at least one year or longer, and your booth consistently makes you money every month we would like to talk with you. If you have a question that you would like answered please let us know, and we can post those next time.
For those of you that are new, and just stopping by for the first time, this is a new idea for us. We hosted our first one last week. If you missed it, and would like to read it you can click here. Today, we are talking with Barbara from Barb's Sassy Garden Glass. Thank you, Barbara for taking the time to talk with us.
1. How long have you been a vintage dealer? Right at about one year.
2. WHAT TYPE OF SETTING ARE YOU IN? I am in a flea market.
3. HOW MANY BOOTHS DO YOU HAVE? At this time, I only have one booth.
4. WHAT DO YOU SELL? I sell a combination of vintage items (mostly kitchen ware) and rustic hand made items. I also sell a lot of colored glass ware.
5. WHAT DO YOU FIND SELLS THE MOST? It will vary, but I seem to sell more of the kitchen wares.
6. WHAT DO YOU FIND SELLS THE LEAST? In my booth, my hand crafted glass yard art sells the least well. After that, large pictures do not do so well.
7. WHY DO YOU THINK YOUR BOOTH HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL? I think my booth is successful for a variety of reasons; I have a storefront window, so my items are seen from the sidewalk. The window also lets the sun shine through my colored glassware (which shows it off to it's best advantage) and I have a wide range of items and prices. You can find things from $1 to $200 in my booth. A little something for everyone.
8. HOW OFTEN DO YOU REFRESH YOUR BOOTH? I refresh by moving things around and adding a few new items at least once a week. I do a major refresh/overhaul at least once a month.
9. WHAT MISTAKES HAVE YOU MADE AND LEARNED FROM AS A DEALER? I have learned two main things; Always, Always research your item well before pricing it. The market in my area will NOT support ebay prices, and always price your items a tiny bit on the high side. You can always come down in price.
10.WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT? My biggest piece of advice is this; Do not expect to make a killing from your booth! The first month may be great, but there will be months that you barely make rent, and some months when you don't even do that well. Make sure that what you are selling is something that the market in your area does well with....but don't expect to do great if every other booth in the flea market is selling the same chalk painted furniture or chalkboard painted trays and mason jars.
11. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE NUMBER ONE MISTAKE IS DEALERS MAKE? From seeing vendors come and go in the last year, I think the number one mistake that dealers make is expecting to do great right away. They get discouraged and give up too quickly. Overpricing for your market area is another mistake that I see a lot.
12. DO YOU DO THIS FULL TIME? I guess you could say it's a full time job. I am always searching for items for my booth, crafting items, or volunteering/working at the flea market. I also spend a lot of time rearranging and freshening my booth. I noticed early on that those who don't work their booth often, usually don't sell much.
13. HOW OFTEN DO YOU TAKE NEW INVENTORY INTO YOUR BOOTH? I take new inventory in at least once a week. You've got to keep 'new' items flowing in for those frequent repeat shoppers.
14. HOW DO YOU BUDGET YOUR TIME? I don't really 'budget' my time, so to speak. I usually spend at least 3-4 hours a week looking for new merchandise. I spend at least 1½ hours each week cleaning, rearranging items, and restocking my booth. I spend approx. 25+ hours each week working on my handmade/craft items for my booth. I also work in the flea market around 20 hours each month.
15. DO YOU STICK WITH A SPECIFIC COLOR SCHEME? I do not stick with a particular color scheme. I have a pale brown rug on the floor, and the side walls are white. The wall the window is in, is painted a bluish color....these colors allow my colored glass to shine without any clashing or competition from my booth as a whole. From time to time, there will be a color that seems to be predominant, but that is usually by accident...not by design.
16. DO YOU USE SOCIAL MEDIA, AND IF SO WHICH ONES WORK BEST FOR YOU? The only social media I use is Facebook. I started the page for my yard art, and it has evolved to encompass all of my work. I have had people come to the flea market to buy something after they saw me post a photo of the item or my booth on my page. The fans of my page also give me great feedback whenever I make a major change in my booth. That helps me gauge how well the 'foot' customers will like (or not like) the new setup.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? I think the biggest piece of advice I would give to someone who is considering renting a booth is; Make sure this is something you really enjoy doing! If you are looking at a booth as strictly a way to make money, you will be disappointed. You have to love the hunt...the cleaning and/or repairing, the staging, and most of all ...the letting go of your items! If you are having fun, and you love what you do, you will sell more items and will have great repeat customers.
I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as we did. If you are a vintage dealer and have had a booth for at least one year or longer, and your booth consistently makes you money every month we would like to talk with you. If you have a question that you would like answered please let us know, and we can post those next time.
- 3:21 PM
- 1 Comments
- 8:09 AM
- 0 Comments
Hi everyone. Are you enjoying this very hot summer? It has been a very busy one for us. Have any of your vintage dealers decorated for this holiday? Lots of you have so we thought we would share some pics that have been submitted by our readers. We will put all info below each photo.
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The Red Brick Cottage
https://www.facebook.com/TheRedBrickCottage
The Coop Antiques - Oviedo, FL
Tattered Elegance
https://www.facebook.com/TatteredElegance
The Front Lobby at
https://www.facebook.com/adjectivesmarket
Call To Post Vintage
https://www.facebook.com/adjectivesmarket
The Teal Butterfly
http://www.Facebook.com/thetealbutterfly
Julie's Home Decor
https://www.facebook.com/Julieshomedecor
https://www.facebook.com/trufinds
- 6:30 AM
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