- 12:41 PM
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Hi friends. I hope you all had a great weekend. We had beautiful weather here and I was able to get out a bit and do some junkin. I have so many fun things I have found lately. I really need to do a Junk haul video. Last week we received a request from a new follower. Kelsey is new to the industry and reached out to us asking how to stage with greenery. It's incredible how one design element can change the look and feel of your booth. Adding greenery can add layering, texture and that pop of color you need. Since we have a lot of new faces lately, I thought this would be a great topic for a video. So we posted that video yesterday in case you missed it. Just click here to watch.
We also give you a sneak peek at our new ebook, Ideas For March Booth Merchandise. It's a 50-page book with lots of photo inspiration from booths. We cover Spring, St. Patrick's Day and Easter decor for your booth. There is a wholesale list for greenery and stems, a tutorial on how to age concrete and spring printables that are only available in the ebook.
- 6:33 AM
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Booth owners take merchandise to their booth hoping it will sell. Sometimes it will sell quickly and some will sit a bit longer. Then you have some items that will not sell no matter what you do. You find yourself frustrated because you at least want to try and get some of your money back. Well, now you can. We would like to share an idea with you. This is not a new concept and we certainly cannot take credit for the idea. It's called an inventory reduction sale. A lot of the larger retail stores will have these. You can do this in your booth or at your home.
The girls posted about the sale in a lot of Facebook groups. They posted it as antique dealers having an inventory reduction sale. Prices would be higher than at a yard sale, but lower than at an antique store. Those were the keywords. Every year these sales were a hit.
The hostess lived in a charming house that was built around 1880. It had all these cute she sheds and picket fences all over the property. I think a lot of people that stopped were just curious onlookers that wanted to get a peek her this adorable property. But hey we were happy to take it! Most everyone that stopped did buy something. We had a great time, made some good money and moved a lot of inventory.
In 2015, I was invited to participate in one of my friend's annual inventory reduction sales. The hostess had one every spring with two more of her booth friends. These three ladies shared a booth together. One year they decided to have one of these sales. It was such a hit, they decided to make it an annual sale every spring. My friend's house was located in a high-traffic area. The other lady, Carolyn is an artist so she created all of these adorable signs that were posted all over the neighborhood. The ladies decided to call their sale a "Shabby Shed Sale"
mainly because of their style.
The girls posted about the sale in a lot of Facebook groups. They posted it as antique dealers having an inventory reduction sale. Prices would be higher than at a yard sale, but lower than at an antique store. Those were the keywords. Every year these sales were a hit.
If you are thinking about donating the items that won't sell. Try doing one of these sales first. Grab some of your vendor friends to participate. This is a great way to recoup some of your money. If you do not live in a place where you could have one of these sales then reach out to some of your local businesses. A lot of places will let you set up in the parking lot for one day.
- 5:33 AM
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We love featuring beautiful booths and stores which is why we started Booth Crush 9 years ago. Although we still share a lot more photos on Facebook, we have kind of gotten out of the habit of sharing them here on the blog. So I'm gonna work on trying to do better. To kick things off I wanted to share a gorgeous store called, Sweet Magnolias Farm. Hopefully, you will get some inspiration from their photos. They are located at 1432 E trafficway Springfield, MO 65802.
Need some ideas for March booth merchandise? We just posted a new video. Click here. For the first time ever, we have a new 50-page ebook that goes with this video. We cover a lot more ground in the ebook than we do in the video. There are lots of tips and photos for inspiration. You'll get a current wholesale list for greenery and florals. There is also a tutorial on how to make new concrete look old. Plus we are including 3 Spring printables that you can't find on the blog. Click here to purchase.
- 5:09 AM
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- 5:01 AM
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Now that Valentine's is the next decorative holiday, a lot of dealers will transition from Christmas to Love Day! We shared a video on YouTube with 14 ideas for February booth merchandise. If you are more of a visual person be sure to click here to check out this video. Not all of the ideas shared in this video will be vintage items, so if that is what you are looking for I apologize in advance. However, there are a few vintage ideas sprinkled in the mix.
When most people think about Valentine's Day...they have visions of the reds and pinks but don't forget about your neutral-loving customers (like me). We did a video last year sharing how to make these adorable burlap hearts. If you would like to check that video out click here.
1. Vintage Candy Boxes
2. Vintage Ephemera
3. Vintage Tins, Jars & Containers
4. Glassware
5. Coffee Mugs
6. Vintage Vases
7. Vintage Cookie Cutters
8. Vintage Heart Shaped Baking Pans
9. Red, White and Pink Books
10. Pillows
11. Candles & Candle Holders
12. Picture Frames
13. Trinket Trays
14. Fabrics & Linens (table runners, hankies etc)
Still, need some inspiration? Check out this video from 2022. I share both neutral and red and pink decor. Click here.
- 6:09 AM
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Today we are featuring Pamela O Donnel's booth. It's called Pennsylvania French. She has a lovely booth full of french country decor. I can tell she takes great pride in her booth and vignettes. She has just reset it for spring. I see lots of bunnies, sheep and florals. I bet this space smells wonderful with all the soaps and candles. Oh, and how fabulous are those chippy doors as a backdrop?
The Rustic Retail is located at
10 Greenwich St
Belvidere, NJ
Just click here to find out more details.
- 6:23 AM
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We thought we would share this article since we get a lot of messages from newbies. Most of you seasoned dealers already know where to source for merch. So for those of you thinking about starting a booth, you should be stockpiling your inventory. If you haven't you need to get on that ASAP! You can start by shopping your own home. What are some things you no longer need? Most stores make you sign a lease. Some are 3,6 or 12-month leases. If you sell a lot of times, you will be scrambling to replace your merchandise. So we always tell dealers to start off small and have enough items in reserve.
If you want to get serious about picking you need to start making a name for yourself in your community. Put the word out and let people know what you do. Then print some business cards with your name and contact info. Make sure to include a tag line or something that identifies what you do.
Once people know you and know what you do they will start reaching out to you. I have a friend that lives in my hometown. He is the top seller in one of the largest antique malls in North, GA. He is a die-hard picker and he finds all the really good stuff. He has really built a name for himself over the last 15 years. When barns and houses are being torn down they call him. Sometimes he scores it all for free and other times he gets it for very cheap. It's a win-win either way.
Auctions are another great place to source true authentic antiques and vintage goods. Especially small-town auctions. There used to be a really good one in the town where I live. I made friends with the auctioneer and his assistant. They really got to know me and my style. If I couldn't make it to the auction they would send me photos of items that were going through that night. This way it allowed me to place a silent bid on items I was interested in purchasing.
Having Booth Crush has given me an advantage because so many dealers know me and my style. When they are out picking for themselves sometimes they will pick up an item for me too. Of course, I don't mind paying them a little extra over what they paid just to make it worth their time. So get to know other dealers and have each other's back.
Other places to shop are thrift stores, junk shops, yard sales, flea markets, and estate sales. Be sure to join your local Facebook groups and watch FB Marketplace daily. There are a lot of apps to watch but the main one I use is Offerup.
Now if you plan to buy wholesale items for your booth we compiled a list of popular companies. This list hasn't been updated in several years. Just click here to see the directory.
If you want to get serious about picking you need to start making a name for yourself in your community. Put the word out and let people know what you do. Then print some business cards with your name and contact info. Make sure to include a tag line or something that identifies what you do.
Once people know you and know what you do they will start reaching out to you. I have a friend that lives in my hometown. He is the top seller in one of the largest antique malls in North, GA. He is a die-hard picker and he finds all the really good stuff. He has really built a name for himself over the last 15 years. When barns and houses are being torn down they call him. Sometimes he scores it all for free and other times he gets it for very cheap. It's a win-win either way.
Auctions are another great place to source true authentic antiques and vintage goods. Especially small-town auctions. There used to be a really good one in the town where I live. I made friends with the auctioneer and his assistant. They really got to know me and my style. If I couldn't make it to the auction they would send me photos of items that were going through that night. This way it allowed me to place a silent bid on items I was interested in purchasing.
Having Booth Crush has given me an advantage because so many dealers know me and my style. When they are out picking for themselves sometimes they will pick up an item for me too. Of course, I don't mind paying them a little extra over what they paid just to make it worth their time. So get to know other dealers and have each other's back.
Other places to shop are thrift stores, junk shops, yard sales, flea markets, and estate sales. Be sure to join your local Facebook groups and watch FB Marketplace daily. There are a lot of apps to watch but the main one I use is Offerup.
Now if you plan to buy wholesale items for your booth we compiled a list of popular companies. This list hasn't been updated in several years. Just click here to see the directory.
We did a video on this topic and you can view it on Youtube. Just click here.
- 5:21 AM
- 0 Comments
Have you ever wondered about starting an antique booth? We often get emails from folks that are curious about getting into the business, but the thought of taking a large booth is overwhelming for them. We are here to let you know you have options. There are other spaces you can rent besides a traditional booth. Each store is going to be different in the options they have available. The smaller the store or boutique the less options you may have.
Option 1: Endcap = This is pretty self explanatory. These spaces are placed at the end of an aisle. They are usually two-three feet wide and six feet tall. They have shelving which can be perfect for all those smalls.
Option 2: Glass Showcase = Showcases are usually locked and the key will be kept at checkout. These are ideal for more valuable items that you would not want unsupervised in your booth.
Option 3: Bookcase = Some store will rent bookcases to dealer and some will allow you to bring your own. ...
Option 4: Kiosk = These are few and far between but they are out there. Some malls provide them and others might allow you to bring in your own should you be lucky enough to have.
Option 5: Wall Space = If you are an artist of have a lot of art work this option is great. You can also add shelving on the wall for knick-knacks
Option 6: Wood Cable Spools = Usually there is one large spool on the bottom and a smaller one on top. I have seen all kinds of things displayed on these. One dealer had handmade tea towels and she placed hooks around the top to display her towels on.
This image was taken at The Nest located in Carrollton, GA
This photo was taken at an antique shop in Jasper, GA. I don't remember the name of it. They were just opening. All of the spools had not been rented out yet.
Option 7: Air Space = Believe it or not people rent the ceiling for hanging things. If you have a lot of chandeliers, or items that need to be hung this is an option.
Those are all the options we have for you. I hope this makes your decision a little easier. Also, remember if you sign a lease, you may not be not locked into that space in the event you need to expand. Be sure to discuss your options with the store owner/manager.
Did you know we are on Youtube now? Click the link to check out our channel.
- 7:07 PM
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