Vintage Shopkeeper ... Hello Linda

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.

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.

Storage of vintage items that are waiting to be sold can quickly overwhelm a seller’s personal space when they sell from their own home.  How do you make it work for you so it doesn’t take over your personal space?
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!

Why do you think this love of vintage is so universal?  What do you think it is that draws so many of us in?
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.

Natalie

xo

Vintage Shopkeeper ... Hello Deb

The featured shop this week is run by a woman who has been selling on etsy since November 2010. Her shop is super sweet and full of all sorts of fun and whimsical items that span many different decades and styles. Below is an interview with Deb from Louisiana:

Deb

of

WhimzyThyme

Start by telling everyone about yourself.

I am a french cajun lady who loves God, family and country.  I have been a collector and lover of antiques since my early twenties.  I so appreciate the craftsmanship and design of yesteryear.  Recycling, reusing and rescuing  vintage finds is my mission and my love.   

What started you on your path to becoming a vintage seller?  

How did you arrive at the name for your shop?

The name of my Shop is Whimzy Thyme.  I became a lover of antiques and vintage sometimes in my twenties when decorating a new home.  I was always looking for something that would bring a bit of “whimsy” and that had passed the test of “time”.  I love to collect “pretties” that are different and tell a story.  Things that have a past and were loved by someone else.  So “Whimzy Thyme” just fits perfectly.

How has your shop evolved over the years?  What do you envision for your shop as it continues its evolution?  

In the early 90s I had multiple booths in four different antique shops in north Texas.  My goal was to purchase  antique home decor and furniture to fill my booths spaces.  Financially I was able to purchase many fine antique pieces but knew I had to broaden my scope to also include quality vintage (items ranging from 20 to 75 years old). My hope is that I can continue to provide my Customers with quality items that they will be proud to display in their homes.  

Thinking as a shop owner and looking back on your early days, were there any missteps?  

To be successful in this business I believe you need to be open change.  You need to stay abreast of changes in technology and educate yourself as to what items are in vogue.  People taste in what they want to collect and purchase to decorate their homes is constantly changing.  The trick is to have a variety in your inventory and continuing education is a must.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of opening an online shop?

My advice would be to make sure you are mentally prepared to work long hours which does not necessary calculate into large monetary rewards.    You need to open a vintage/antique shop because you truly love the treasure hunt and being able to provide a venue to others.   I would definitely suggest that you try it as a hobby for awhile before committing full time.  Most days I spend at least 12 to 14 hours working on cleaning treasures, researching information, taking photos and writing descriptions.   Also, you need to allocate time for marketing and participating on social network sites.  


What are some of your favorite places to shop for vintage finds?  Feel free to share names of great shops, flea markets, etc.
My favorite places for treasure hunting are thrift shops, estate sales and auctions.  I love the charity thrift shops because I not only find great items but am also supporting a great cause.  I love estate sales and onsite auctions because you can count on finding some items that was truly loved and taken care of my the owner.  My most favorite finds are those that was passed on from a previous generation.  A couple of my favorite flea markets are Round Top and Canton in Texas and Brimfield in Massachusetts.

Storage of vintage items that are waiting to be sold can quickly overwhelm a seller’s personal space when they sell from their own home.  How do you make it work for you so ti doesn’t take over your personal space?

Making sure that your safety store items once you have listed them for sale is a constance struggle.   I am  fortunate to live in a house that was built in 1941 and has tons of storage space.  I have a huge walk in closet in an extra bedroom where I am able to place shelving units to store my listed inventory.  I also have lots of attic space to store shipping boxes and material.  Once I list an item in my Shop it gets an inventory number and stored out of harms way.


What era or style are you particularly drawn to?  Why do you think that is?  

I love the victorian ear because one of my favorite treasures is celluloid boxes, photo albums and vanity items.    I started collecting celluloid boxes and photo albums about 25 years ago. I also adore Art Deco because of its intricate beauty.  The roaring 20s gave us gals beautiful flapper jewelry, handbags, hats and dresses.  Many items from this decade has survived the test of time and can be found on Etsy.

Why do you think this love of vintage is so universal?  What do you think it is that draws so many of us in?  

I believe it is the craftsmanship and in many cases the painstaking detail that went into the manufacturing process.  It seems like items made within the last 20 years are throw aways.  Meaning the intention was not to make it last for generations.  So many items are made with the cheapest materials possible with the goal of producing quantity and not quality. 

Where can everyone find you?
Whimzy Thyme can be found at http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhimzyThyme

Vintage Shopkeepers are awesome!  Read more of these interviews here.

Natalie

xo