Breaking Even on this Manic Monday

I am My Audience

I keep saying 'I am my audience'. Jury is still out as to whether or not that's a viable business strategy - but it's what I know and it's what feels right - so it's what I'm doing.

I'm shopping for and selling to people that like what I like, people that are drawn to the same lines, colors, and textures as I am. Also - people who are searching for a vision that they can't come to on their own. To that point, I care a lot about how I'm marketing this venture - the pieces I'm choosing to sell, my signage and booth decor, the way I talk about what I'm doing (here, on Pinterest and on FB)...even my price tags are a detail I'm super nerdy about.

I've designed a tag that I'd be drawn to...and I hope it serves my audience well. I want to scream the prices because - let's face it - that's the bottom line. I also want to provide details about the pieces - certainly if there's a known maker or designer - I want to educate my shoppers about that. I am conjuring up descriptions that are informative and fun. Such as - "Super collectible but more importantly - SEXY!"

As with everything I write - the descriptions are conversational - and hopefully not obnoxious. I chose to write them on my typewriter because 1) I never love my handwriting and 2) it's so charming and vintage all by itself.

Here's a peek. Enjoy!

Progress at Paris on Ponce!

Lea and I went to the shop yesterday (gahd, was that just yesterday?!?) and began decorating my two "walls". I love the way Skip (an owner) at Paris on Ponce has decided to delineate the vendor spaces in the area where I'll be. It's open and I think it will feel fluid for shoppers.

So - spaces are marked off by these great partition walls that they built. As a vendor, it's my job to decorate them - to give them personality - to set MYSELF and MY BOOTH apart.

I had a hundred ideas of what I might do from fiber art (i.e. - a friend suggested finger knitting a dozen + skeins of yarn to cover the whole wall) to a hand painted mural to to to...the list went on and I was having a hard time editing myself.

Fab Finds

Here's a little peek at some of the goodies I am bringing to Paris on Ponce next week.

1. Mid Century Corner Unit - bookcase / shelving / cabinets - lovely!
2. Mid Century coffee table - beautiful lines
3. Four Mid Century Teak Chairs (peeking out on the left) black vinyl seats.

Better Luck Next Time

Last weekend I participated in Highland Row Antique's monthly market. They open early and stay late on the first Saturday of every month with a boat-load of new stuff each time. I was a guest-vendor of sorts since I don't have a booth with them. It was a learning experience. I hung out all day and didn't sell anything big.

*Poof*

How does one go about breaking into the business of selling vintage furniture and wares in a city with a well established antique market and audience?

It felt like a secret society but I knew this was what I wanted to do with myself so I created a "booth" in my home and took some pictures with Lea. Lea is a photographer...and that doesn't hurt. Ever.

 I know this business of "vintage" well as a consumer but when I began talking to people I realized I would have to sell someone on what my aesthetic would be as a vendor - hence the at-home booth, the photos and the subsequent PDF I toted around town on the iPad.

Paris on Ponce liked it, we talked about the vision of their business and how I could fit into it - and *poof* - I signed a renter's agreement and now I'm on the brink of this new adventure!

I am also confident there was a lot of "at the right place at the right time" - stars-sort-of-aligning energy hovering about the sky above my head as I began down this path.

Beginning

Well - to kick things off, welcome to the blog. I've never been behind the wheel of a blog devoted solely to whatever it is I want to share...so I'm as much welcoming myself as I am my (one day) audience.

I'm a vintage reseller and artist in Atlanta, GA and I need a way to share both my "inventory" and my craft. So I'm using this platform to share goodies of all kinds.

Things you should know: