This week's vintage seller has so many fun and interesting items for sale! You'll feel like you're being transported to a fabulous, faraway place when you see what kinds of wild vintage finds she carries in her etsy shop. Meet Linda of Columbus, OH:
Linda Sapp Long
of
umeone
Start by telling everyone about yourself.
Hi, my name is Linda Sapp Long. My love of the Tropics, Art and Antiques started with my Parents. When I was 2 in 1961, my Dad, Bill Sapp and his business partner Lee Henry, opened a huge restaurant called The Kahiki Supper Club in Columbus, Ohio. Entering The restaurant included passing by Giant fire spewing Moai, walking over the Bamboo bridge that covered the flowing river moat, open the doors, pass by a magical rock wall waterfall, be greeted by a huge center fountain and that's just the entrance! The Kahiki was my playground, my escape from the cold gray winters in Ohio. My mother, Marcy created or designed several of the mugs used to serve up exotic concoctions of rum and fresh juices. Since these mugs weren’t readily available to the tikiphile collectors, I started recreating some of her designs.
We moved to Florida for a few of my early years, where my mother tried to teach me to paint and my parents started collecting art and antiques. my passions were instilled in me at a very early age. my parents success opened a world of fantasy and my love of beautiful things with a past.
Fast forward 40 years, I’m a retired bartender and my fabulous husband, Craig has enabled me to unleash my passions. Etsy has provided me the vehicle I needed to blossom.
What started you on your path to becoming a vintage seller? How did you arrive at the name for your shop?
Originally I opened my shop to showcase my pottery. The economy went south, we moved north and I needed to make a living, I had been picking up things at auctions, garage sales and a thrift store around the corner from our condo. I was quickly obsessed with making wristlets, most of which are still in my shop. Then I discovered that you could sell vintage on etsy! I started creating more of my own pottery designs and supplement that passion with my other passion vintage! Life is good again and I’m enjoying my venture on etsy.
My shop name started out in 2004, when my husband and i started collecting vintage tiki and buying things from the early years of the kahiki on ebay. My husband came up with it, u me one, we are together in all our ventures.
How has your shop evolved over the years? What do you envision for your shop as it continues its evolution?
My shop is still getting its footing. I really only went full time with it in January. so I’ve been in a learning curve. I envision selling more pottery and getting into a vintage/antique niche.
Thinking as a shop owner and looking back on your early days, were there any missteps?
Huge mistakes, for one I am not very computer savvy, so I’ve had on the job training. I didn’t realize I was starting a business, so i didn’t start out with a business plan in place. oh, and there’s that whole wristlet obsession.
We moved to Florida for a few of my early years, where my mother tried to teach me to paint and my parents started collecting art and antiques. my passions were instilled in me at a very early age. my parents success opened a world of fantasy and my love of beautiful things with a past.
Fast forward 40 years, I’m a retired bartender and my fabulous husband, Craig has enabled me to unleash my passions. Etsy has provided me the vehicle I needed to blossom.
What started you on your path to becoming a vintage seller? How did you arrive at the name for your shop?
Originally I opened my shop to showcase my pottery. The economy went south, we moved north and I needed to make a living, I had been picking up things at auctions, garage sales and a thrift store around the corner from our condo. I was quickly obsessed with making wristlets, most of which are still in my shop. Then I discovered that you could sell vintage on etsy! I started creating more of my own pottery designs and supplement that passion with my other passion vintage! Life is good again and I’m enjoying my venture on etsy.
My shop name started out in 2004, when my husband and i started collecting vintage tiki and buying things from the early years of the kahiki on ebay. My husband came up with it, u me one, we are together in all our ventures.
My shop is still getting its footing. I really only went full time with it in January. so I’ve been in a learning curve. I envision selling more pottery and getting into a vintage/antique niche.
Thinking as a shop owner and looking back on your early days, were there any missteps?
Huge mistakes, for one I am not very computer savvy, so I’ve had on the job training. I didn’t realize I was starting a business, so i didn’t start out with a business plan in place. oh, and there’s that whole wristlet obsession.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of opening an online shop?
Learn all you can from etsy handbook, labs and join teams with your same interest. The people on my teams have been extremely helpful with not only explaining things to me but, the support they provide is essential to my successes.
What are some of your favorite places to shop for vintage finds? Feel free to share names of great shops, flea markets, etc.
I love going to Estate sales, auctions, garage sales and my little honey hole around the corner, Volunteers of America.
Learn all you can from etsy handbook, labs and join teams with your same interest. The people on my teams have been extremely helpful with not only explaining things to me but, the support they provide is essential to my successes.
What are some of your favorite places to shop for vintage finds? Feel free to share names of great shops, flea markets, etc.
I love going to Estate sales, auctions, garage sales and my little honey hole around the corner, Volunteers of America.
I am lucky enough to have a large closet in the second bedroom that we have set up as an office. I have storage tubs with my items for sale and a ton of packing boxes, bubble wrap and my special rattan boxes for my pottery. My pottery is on display all over our house. It has taken time to get organized and i do have items on my work table that needs to be either worked on or photographed. It’s always a work in process.
What era or style are you particularly drawn to? Why do you think that is?
Mid Century definitely, I grew up with 1950’s furniture at home and at my grandparents house. it’s comfort furnishings! Just like pot roast or macaroni & cheese!
Vintage items catch up with us, they may not have been thought of since you were a kid but, you know it when you see it 50 years later. For me an item as simple as a dishcloth can transport me back to sitting on the kitchen counter talking to my grandma while she’s doing the dishes (with my help of course).
Where can everyone find you?
my etsy shop ... www.etsy.com/shop/umeone
Facebook ... http://www.facebook.com/KahikiDaze
Pinterest ... pinterest.com/umeone
Vintage Shopkeepers are awesome! Read more of these interviews here.
xo
Love her shop!
ReplyDeletehttp://mandycrandell.blogspot.com/
Thank you Natalie, this was fun!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you Mandy!
Awesome shop with such unique vintage finds!! Thanks for introducing us to Linda!
ReplyDelete