I live near a busy section on Park Street in Jacksonville, Florida that's home to at least five eclectic antique stores, all practically side-by-side! Treasure House is a fresh new shop in the line-up. Shop owner Jackie used to rent space with me at Southern Crossing, but now she has a cute shop of her own.
The space I'm renting is the third bookshelf at the far right. I'm allowed to put items in front of the store as well, so I'll try to bring in some furniture.
I'm switching apartments next month and I didn't want to lug a bunch of vintage with me. This was a perfect time to try out a second antique store booth. I just moved into this space so I haven't had any sales yet, but I'm going to spend this week adding small ticket merchandise to see what happens.
It's going to be a little tricky balancing my time between this booth, my Southern Crossing Antique Mall space, online reselling, and stocking up on merchandise for the future Thrift Core brick and mortar shop, but I'm up for the challenge. I see this is as practice, and $36 isn't too much to pay for the experiment.
Luckily, there's plenty of vintage for me to find in my area to keep stocked-up. Let the hunt begin! How are your reselling efforts going?
What a cute shop! Well wishes for your new space and tons and tons of sales!
ReplyDeleteI hope so! I worked into the early morn' making and tagging merch for it!
DeleteVan - the outside of the shoppe is so darling! If I were walking by, I would stop inside for certain!
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, I am getting a second location too and am getting merchandise prepared for my new bigger space at the new mega antique mall. I temp stopped selling online until I get my inventory into its new space. xo
-pamela ;)
I'm balancing determining what will go in my new Etsy shop and what will go in my stores.
DeleteAnd then what will go in each store.... Definitely a learning experience!
Van-that is so exciting! I am currently selling at an antique mall in my hometown, and will be starting to sell at an antique boutique in March. I also sell online (on Etsy), and going to take a stab at being a flea market vendor, so I hear you on worrying about keeping it all straight and having enough stuff. I've told myself that I will not be buying anything new until I get my current inventory better organized. Wish me luck with that one! ;)
ReplyDeleteYou'll get there. I set a timer and attacked my inventory and now it's pretty organized again.
DeleteI almost tried flea market vending on Sundays since I had enough misc. merch but donated it instead. I decided I'd focus on selling the stuff that excites me and not old merch that wouldn't move.
PLUS karma would come bite me in the ass for all the times I've asked for discounts at flea markets ;) I'll drive a hard bargain...
I have to say that your life rocks & I totally have been living vicariously through your blog for the past like bazillion years I've been a follower. (too much? I am sorry!)
ReplyDeleteI totally want to get into reselling but am so super nervous. I just feel like I have no idea what to do/where to start. There is an antique mall in my town (that I love!) & would love to try out but I am not sure if I have an 'eye' for the things ppl want :(
Any way, just letting you know that I soak up all the tips/info/stories/things that you share so that one day I'll get the gonads to do it!
Happy Tuesday!
No way, never too much! :)
DeleteI'll write some more posts on getting started. To recap: make sure the shop you choose has tons of traffic. Check the demographics, would they buy your stuff? From there, have tons of merch- especially small ticket merch, and you should do fine. (Tips on finding the best antique store: http://www.thriftcore.com/2011/05/antique-store-wisdom-finding-best.html)
Small ticket jewelry does REALLY WELL in an antique mall setting. My business partner makes more than triple my antique store profit because she sells tons of cute, low cost jewelry. (Her stuff: http://www.etsy.com/shop/oldskooljunk)
Nothing to be scared of, you'll never know unless you try it.
Your reselling venues have inspired me and I just rented a booth at a local antique/flea market store. I have been selling on ebay for several years but I like the idea of "staging" some of my items. Thanks for sharing your experiences with all of us! Good luck this year!
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me know I inspired you! Fill that booth with tons of merchandise, and good luck to you too!
Deletethat shop is darling! I have 2 antique booths, which I sell handmades in also, and sell on etsy. The largest booth I ripped apart and redid Jan. 3, and had my best month yet there in January...crazy!
ReplyDeleteI'm noticing that handmades do better than kitschy housewares in local antique stores. I'm working on making more of them.
DeleteThe shop is so cute, I'm lucky to live in a very charming area.
This is an adorable place! I wish you much success! Is the rent $36.00 for the bookcase space? Seems fair.
ReplyDeleteYep, for the bookcase- but only the third one to the far right, not all three. I can put items out front, too. So all in all, not bad!
DeleteCongrats! This seems like a super fun shop and your unique finds will be the perfect fit.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Let's hope so...
Deletewow this place looks incredible! i want to go there!
ReplyDeletexo,
cb
It's a cute shop. Store tours of my favorite haunts will be coming up soon... ;)
DeleteAdd me to the list who wants to shop there, too bad I'm in Arizona.
ReplyDeleteLove the shop. Is the whole shop rented booths or does she have large space of her own? How much does she charge for her booth?
ReplyDeleteThis is the sort of shop I'd love to start one day. Then maybe expand one day to one of those 30,000 square foot antique malls, lol.
I missed the cost before, $36. Not bad.
ReplyDeleteNope, not too bad to try out. I pay $53 at Southern Crossing.
DeleteI love that frist pic <3 all the treasures I would drool on lol good luck on the new place!
ReplyDeleteCongrats! I will have to check out the store!
ReplyDeleteIt's a cute little spot. I'd love to set up shop in the area. Potentially...
DeleteIs that shop on the way to Southern Crossing? I would love to go check it out on my way there thursday?
ReplyDeleteYep, it is. The owner Jackie is a former Southern Crossing vendor like we are.
DeleteGood luck! I think you will easily make back your investment and it IS hard to balance it all, isn't it??
ReplyDeleteSo cool! I wish antique malls in my area rented by the bookshelf. I am taking the plunge starting this Saturday here in St Louis, but my space is 8'x8'. Intimidating for a total newby like me, but you and others like you who share experiences online have been a big encouragement. Best of luck with your new space!
ReplyDeleteYou'll learn to love the large space. Bookshelves can be really limiting! I can't bring in many wall hangings or furniture pieces...
DeleteGood luck to you, too!
Very cute shop - someday I hope to get to Florida to thrift shop. I've heard it is great picking there.
ReplyDeleteWe started out with our first shop in November with shelves at $40 a month and now have decided to take the jump into a larger space - 5x10 at $75 a month! Im nervous but excited to be able to decorate with larger pieces and pictures, etc. I also am now struggling to balance the online shop, group shop, flea market stuff, blog and the 40 hour reglar day job! yikes - but its fun and I really appreciate you sharing your adventures!
It is hard to balance it all! I'm not at the day job but I do freelance marketing, writing, photography, and design jobs-- then trying to start my own brick and mortar, a new etsy shop, and maintaining two booths! Oh, and this blog...
DeleteI'm trying different time management methods to see what helps me accomplish the most. I'll report with which one works best!
I agree with you the price of a second location is worth the risk. Last month our booth sales were down a bit but we still more then covered the rent. I'd love to expand, I can't sell all of the stuff in my house if people can't see it. Do you think it's smarter to expand in the same store or another location?
ReplyDeleteI'm doing this for demographic research, it might be interesting to test that waters in another store that gets good foot traffic to see what sells in that area.
DeleteI couldn't sell my chalkboard picnic basket in my normal space. I switched it to Treasure House and it sold immediately. My new store is right next to my old one, so I can switch merchandise easily.
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ReplyDelete