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Friday

Selling in an antique mall

Want to be a dealer in an antique mall? Are you already in a mall, but you need a little boost? Vintage Rescue has a new E- book that is spot on.

I don't usually think of myself as a quick learner, but as soon as I went into the antique (junk) business I was off to the races. It was either sink or swim. This meant making plenty of mistakes, but learning from each one. This process is ongoing. I am always looking for new inventory, the latest trends and unique display ideas.

I started with a tiny booth upstairs that I shared with another dealer. Sales started out slow. I kept on experimenting with different inventory and styles. I somehow hit on a winning look when I just simply went with what I love. Not what I was trying to get rid of or some bargain item I couldn't pass up.

Items that I would decorate my own home with.

This was a huge milestone for me. I soon moved to a bigger booth downstairs and about a year after that I added another one. I have been having fun ever since!

One way to display that I have found successful is to put like items together. They can be similar in color,

a theme

or like items.

I am also a little fanatical about taking photos of my booths. Many of these end up on my blog, but I also have another purpose to snap a few. I look at these pictures when I get home and see things I didn't notice when I was there.

For example: You may not notice anything wrong with the displays in this picture. I saw something right off the bat that needed to be changed. You can see the stained glass doors in the next booth through the back of the white open shelves. The items displayed get lost among all of the colors.

I changed it the next day by hanging a burlap sack as a back drop. It may not seem like a huge difference to you, but it did change how the eye followed what was on the shelf.

I would never say I am an expert by any means. I still consider myself a newbie.
I would highly recommend buying the E-book: Selling in an Antique Mall. An exerpt from the conclusion of the book -
Selling vintiques is a time-honored and honest way to make a living – in any economy. It won’t always be easy, but if you take the time to research the right location for you, set up your business professionally, take pride in your items and displays, and keep an eye on spending, you’ll succeed. If you’re selling what you love, it will be evident in your booth, and customers will notice.
I couldn't agree more!!

Tuesday

Have you heard?


Have you heard?
Mr. Ella has expanded his booth at the Antique Company Mall!

He took the space next to his original spot.

The first change was a coat of Trail Print paint.
You can see his old booth in the background.

At this point he was wishing he could wave a magic wand and everything would just leap into place.

His look began to form.

Okay, I just might add when we are out and about looking for inventory to buy, Mr. Ella is focused on what he wants. I, on the other hand, am just sorta focused. My eyes and mind are all over the place wondering what I can do with something or how cute it is.
As they say, he has a good eye.

This arch sold quickly.

I helped corral these clocks in this old metal locker.

I also assisted him with other displays. You know, he can't be good at everything!
(It might be a little hard to live with...)

I love this old enamel utensil holder. He found this at one of our sources tucked way behind a bunch of furniture. I encouraged him to buy it because it is not something you see everyday.


Sales have already been good, so if you see anything you want in the pictures I suggest you come to McKinney soon!