Remember a while back I wrote a post about how, when I was 20, I had more attitude than brains and I tried to be a firefighter? Then I grew up and got "smart" and figured out stuff and junk and decided I would try to stick with what I'm good at and do things for the right reasons? Unless I got side-tracked by astronaut school?
Well, I signed up for astronaut school. Only it's not exactly for astronauts. And it's not even school. We bought a junk store.
I am not even kidding.
A for real honest to goodness junk store. The kind of place that has everything from vinyl records and cookie jars to books and coffee makers. There's so much stuff in there I keep expecting to hear the theme song to Sanford & Son every time I walk in the door.
I am excited and slightly nauseous about being the owner of so much stuff. But mostly excited.
You know the term fixer-upper right? It's like that to the power of infinity times three.
But there are so many possibilities and it's a real part of the community. *And* all my dishes and glasses came from there and if it closed where would I buy my next mini-bundt pan that I could ruin?
So it looks like you won't have to hear (very often) about Safeway being out of chicken.
Although, today they were out of cucumbers.
Congratulations! Oddly, I love the idea of a fixer upper even if it's to infinity. It will be exhaustingly fun. Good luck on your new endeavor.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I do too, really. I see all the possibilities when I look at something so chaotic and dingy. And oh is it dingy!
DeleteCongrats on your new adventure!!! I had an antique store in Oregon for about 10 years. (Well, it's still there, I just don't get up there to open much anymore.)
ReplyDeleteThe best advice I got when I started was that it doesn't matter what you price things at. When the person for that item walks through the door, they will buy it. Similar to the idea that there is a "lid for every pot." You will be able to sell absolutely anything if you are willing to wait long enough. Somebody out there wants *that.*
Also, don't worry too much about keeping regular hours. It drives people nuts when you are closed, but they will be beating down the door when you finally open for the day...or week...or month... (trust me on this one.)
Good luck! It is a great and quirky biz to be in.
Thanks! You're right. I'm finding that out already. Stuff that I think would never sell--someone walks in and says "that's it!" I'm really excited.
DeleteWow - sounds really exciting - maybe less so than truckin' around the country, but intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing one of you (or that extremely gorgeous dog) is a handy-man type?
Good luck!
It's going to be a lot of work, which I am totally not used to after sitting in the same spot for the last 5 years!
DeleteHimself is very handy--a good thing since the place is a wreck. Jas is completely unhelpful in all areas except cuteness and excitability. I'd love it for her to be the store dog that hangs around and everybody loves, but she's just a little (times infinity) to Tasmanian Devil-ish for that now. =)
woooohooooo!!
ReplyDeletei am SO jealous! even more than being a professional passenger.
for YEARS i have thought how cool it would be to have a thrift shop. i love junk. i love used stuff. wow...this is really exciting!
and i can see the stories you'll weave on the items you have in there...so it's NOT just about safeway being out of chicken anymore!! GOOD LUCK Stacey!! i'm happy for ya!!
It just fell into place and it *feels* right. I hope it works! There's so much stuff I hardly know where to begin. Thanks for the luck--I'll need it by the tons!
DeleteThat sounds so cool! Congrats on the store!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I hope I can keep up the enthusiasm during all the work that needs to be done. And that I find the Mona Lisa buried in there. ;)
DeleteCongratulations! That's sounds exciting. I bet there'll be all kinds of interesting stories to tell too. And your blog can be used to promote the store. You'll be killing two birds with one stone which everyone knows is the most efficient method to use when going bird killing.
ReplyDeleteHa! I'm all about efficiency and since Safeway is always out of chicken, maybe I *should* be killing birds with a stone. I could be like those markets you see in Chinatown where the birds are hanging by their feet in the window. Holy crap, I'm just like Donald Trump with all this business acumen I gots.
DeleteHave fun. I personally would be lost in there for days exploring to see what cool junk I could find.
ReplyDeleteThanks! The place is so crowded you *could* get lost in there. I may even find Jimmy Hoffa.
DeleteOhmygodohmygod that is so exciting. I have a shit load of reference books for salt and pepper shakers and 1950s Made in Japan ceramics. Once they are out of storage which at this rate will be never, you can send me pictures of things to look up.
ReplyDeleteIdnit though??? I am so excited I can hardly stand it, while at the same time scared to death because what if it is a big old flop??! But I really think it will work. Maybe. I hope. Yes, it will. Whatever, I'll be busy at least!
DeleteAnd now I have a cross-country Consultant (when you get a house and get your stuff out of storage) and if that isn't fancy and business-y I don't know what is!
I'm humming the theme song in my head as I type.... congrats...my question are you Fred or Lamont? Heywood
ReplyDeleteFred, of course. You big dummy!
DeleteI soooo want to get that song as a ring tone.
=)
DeleteCongratulations, Tumbleweeds No-more. Everyone gets drawn in to a "junk store", hope a majority of them decide to buy. Ya'll will do great I just feel it!
ReplyDeleteThank you!! I hope so. For now I just need to concentrate on not throwing up on the customers. I'm pretty sure that's bad for business.
DeleteYou are so clever and adventurous tumbleweed!! I can't wait for your stories at the This-n-That. Cute name and love the pic you sent of it:) How fun!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you! It's already about to kill me--I haven't had reall work in forever--but I'm having a blast!
DeleteThank you! I don't know if it's clever or just crazy but I'll take it either way. It's going to be a lot of work--just what I need to keep my blood going and my heart pumping.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you and Heit on your new venture! Talk about a life-style change! I'll come see you soon, and if you find an empty shelf or corner, I may have some valuable "junk" for you.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Do come and see me!! I don't promise an empty shelf, corner, or ceiling space, but I bet you have some good junk that's not junk at all. :)
DeleteThat is fantastic! My daughter and I used to talk about opening a second hand shop. I am so excited for you!
ReplyDeleteIt is fantastic AND scary, but I'm getting better at not wanting to throw up on the customers! ;)
Deletejust picked up an apple corer made in the 1940s...
ReplyDeleteIt's fun to find old stuff isn't it? Now I have a whole shop full of it!
Deleteso...just checking on ya...how're you doing?? sorting, pricing, cleaning, fixing...hope all's well and you're not lost under a pile o' junk!! :)
ReplyDeleteHowdy Laura! It's going good, there's so much to be done but it feels good to be useful again after riding along for so long. There's just so much stuff!
DeleteCongrats!!! I mean, wow, HUGE congrats! That looks like tons of work but so much fun, and I'm glad to see I still get to live vicariously through you because I always wanted a junk store but this way I don't have to dust anything! Seriously though, I wish I lived there because I'd totally be that local lady that loitered by the counter all day, pretending to help but really just getting in the way. Oh, and thanks for getting the Sanford & Son theme stuck in my head - I didn't realize until now that I even knew it.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Well, there is a LOT of stuff to dust, but I choose to see that as giving the junk character. ;)
DeleteI would realllllly love to have the Sanford & Son theme song play every time someone walked in!
Tumbleweed - oops, looks like maybe you'll be changing your name on here. But then, maybe not ALL Tumbleweeds tumble...some must end up in "junk" stores...
ReplyDeleteSo happy for the 3 of you that you found a new adventure and so soon, too! In this day & age you certainly SHOULD be able to rig up something where that theme would play each time someone entered. I do have this feeling that you will add your own spin to the business there. Now, I somehow have this image stuck in my head of you peeking out from under a huge pile of "treaures" with a quizzical look on your face. Can't wait to see what kind of posts you came up with relating to all the misc. items you surely now own.
Hope all well with you & that you're busy getting your life all re-organized for the next phase. I'm also hoping you'll be baaaack here one of these days. Stay well!
Thanks Ladybug! It has been a month already with the store and I love it! There's so much to do, but it's a lot of fun to find all the weird things buried everywhere. They man who started the store 23 years ago was a real pack rat.
DeleteI thought I would have another blog about it by now, but I haven't even started. This working every day thing is kinda getting in the way of that! ;) How did I go from sittin all day in a truck to owning a business????
Good for you - so glad you are enjoying it! I had a feeling once you really got "into" working with all the stuff, this blog would fall down the list. That's certainly understandable. Plus, now that you're staying in 1 place everyone will know who you are!
DeleteWhen you get more settled with the organization of the place and your routine, maybe (?) you will return to blogging. Featuring a particular item each time, with a story behind it and maybe its human connection might be a good read - I KNOW you could come up with some great ideas. Also, a cool blog would be a good way to advertise your business & could be included on your store's web site - all things I'm sure you know.
Anyway, if you do begin something like that, it would be wonderful if you could somehow let those of us who've followed you know. In the meantime, I wish you much luck, happiness, & success over there in Douglas!
Thanks Ladybug, I apprecciate the encouragement! What I have to do is find the balance. And that's a trick. I'm enjoying it, but feeling overwhelmed with all that needs to be done, plus I am in charge and responsible for ALL THE THINGS.
DeleteThat's a new on on me and being the efficient (read: control freak) person that I am it's hard not to go overboard. But I am getting there. I may even take a day off one day. ;)