Hitting the Vintage Market Scene for the First Time

On May 12th, The Vintage Vagabond set up our first vintage pop-up shop with Wanda, our 1981 Sunline travel trailer, at Whitesbog Village in Browns Mills, New Jersey at their first annual Vintage Market, Car, and Tractor Show.

After months of sourcing inventory, weeks of pricing and tagging items, and days of packing everything safely for transport, I was excited that the big day had finally arrived. Not even waking up to some pretty steady rainfall could dampen my spirits. I was ready to conquer my first vintage market even if it meant dodging puddles and raindrops to get the job done. Fortunately for everybody involved, the rain stopped right on cue and the ground dried up quickly. Our set up went very smoothly, and I am proud to say we were ready for our 10:00 start by 9:45 AM.

In addition to getting my first vintage market under my belt, I got to visit an amazing venue. If you're from the Delware Valley, and you've never been to Whitesbog Village, you should put it on your "Places to Visit" list. According to their literature, the Whitesbog Preservation Trust invites visitors to travel back in time to learn about the history of cranberry farming, life in a rural South Jersey company town and the individuals and culture that supported the farming operations and Elizabeth White’s efforts to cultivate the first highbush blueberry.

Vintage Day at Whitesbog included visitors in period costume, vintage tractors and cars, museum tours, gallery walks and not just one, but two jug bands.

And that wasn't even the best part of the day. More than anything, I enjoyed meeting some great new people. I got to talk to a young lady who purchased an English pitcher for her grandmother for Mother's Day and some binoculars for her grandfather. While we chatted, she explained to me how she lived on a nearby 47 acre blueberry farm with her grandparents. Then, there was one of the world's greatest grandmothers who bought a package of vintage marbles from me on the sly so she could spread them around for her grandson later in the day so he could "find some treasure". She also bought him a vintage telephone because he was having so much fun playing with it in my display. I couldn't help but think how lucky the little guy was. And that's not to mention all the awesome volunteers who work at the village, or my new friends, Jaclyn and Michael, from Merchantville Antiques and Salvage.

If this market is any indication of what I can expect at future markets and fairs, sign me up now. Being outdoors, visiting new places, meeting new people, and connecting customers with quality vintage wares are some of my favorite ways to pass the time. I can't wait to see where my next vintage market application takes me.

The Red Shed - The Vintage Vagabond's New Vintage Co-Op Space

Let the games begin!

Painters love a blank canvas. Sculptors can't wait to get their hands on a fresh lump of clay. Designers see beautiful gowns where the rest of us see scraps of fabric. Each artist or creator has a medium that ignites their passion and calls to their expressive spirit. And I am no exception. All I need to get my creative juices flowing, is a few blank walls and some empty shelves. I've always been drawn to visual arts like photography and scrapbooking, but in recent years, I've come to learn that I also love visual merchandising. I get deep satisfaction out of arranging (and rearranging) items to maximize space and create maximum visual impact for shoppers. That's why I was so excited when I was offered a new, larger space at Capt. Scrap's, the vintage co-op where I                                                                                     have some of my inventory displayed in                                                                                                  Woodbine, NJ.

The new space is three times the size of the spot I was previously occupying at the co-op, and I was inexplicably drawn to it the minute that it was suggested I could move there. At first, I had been offered the chance to move to another spot on the property, but I just wasn't feeling that space so I was dragging my feet about committing to the upgrade. Then, the idea of moving to the Red Shed was presented to me, and I was hooked.

You have to start somewhere. This seemed like a good place to me.

The move took a lot longer than I anticipated and stretched me to my physical, mental, and emotional limits, but I was determined to get it accomplished sooner, rather than later. Wall treatments were hung, floors were painted, furniture was repurposed, windows were washed, inventory was relocated, and new displays were created - all done on the weekends or in the evenings after regular work hours. Thank God for caffeine and adrenaline.  I also could not have done it without my husband's patience, support, and muscle. We actually make a pretty good team. I specialize in "vision", and he's the master of "execution". Lucky for me, he knows his way around a tool bag, and he's pretty handy with a paintbrush, too.

Much better.

Tackling the next obstacle.

Measure twice. Cut once.

It's starting to come together.

Whew!

I have let out a huge sigh of relief now that the lion's share of the work is done,  but I am not naive. I know there will always be more work to be done. And that's not a bad thing.  If the retail gods smile down upon me, I'll be rotating new inventory into my space on a regular basis to replace all the goods and wares that are flying off the shelves and the walls. Getting to design new displays on an on-going basis is one of the best parts of visual merchandising. If you are constantly seeking to satisfy the creative impulses emanating from the right side of your brain the same way that I am, then you'll understand how grateful I am for this opportunity and how much I really need it. So, if you happen to be in the area, please stop by and see our handiwork for yourself.

I predict that train case will not be around very long.

So, if you happen to be in the area,

please stop by and see our handiwork 

for yourself.

That cabinet, though!

Left side.

Never underestimate the impact your walls can have.

From Yard Sale Hobbyist to Fledgling Small Business Owner

My name is Stacy, and I'm a sixth grade teacher by trade, and a vintage resale enthusiast by choice. When I'm not busy teaching lessons and grading assignments, I am on the hunt for vintage treasures at local thrift shops, estate sales, and yard sales. Here's the story of how my obsession with all things vintage came to be.

Yard sale shoppers know this image all too well.
Good thing my van is a Stow 'N Go model.

Fifteen years ago, I went to my first yard sale with my sister-in-law. She was a seasoned veteran with an impeccable knack for finding incredible bargains, and I wanted in on the game. Saturday mornings became my escape. I left my husband and four kids at home and hit the yard sale circuit in earnest. I shopped for my home, my family, my classroom, and my friends.

If you're in the Philadelphia area and you get the chance,
visit Bargain Thrift Center in Germantown. You won't be disappointed.

I was content in my role as yard sale hobbyist for many years, and then something amazing happened. I ended up working at Bargain Thrift Center, my cousin's thrift store, on Saturdays. One thing lead to another, and before I knew it, I was a listing manager for Vintage Character, her Etsy shop, and we were making the rounds on the local vintage market circuit together. I had found my "thing".

Taking a break from "Antiques Camp" in Michigan and visiting a 4-H Fair.

Fortunately for me, Sue is an accomplished business woman and a virtual fountain of vintage knowledge. I spent several years under her expert tutelage, learning the tricks of the trade. Sue even took me to "Antiques Camp" in Michigan once to help me learn how to determine the value of vintage items.

Taken on move-in day at Capt. Scrap Antiques, Collectibles and More in Woodbine, NJ.

Then, in February of 2017, I got the opportunity to join a vintage resale co-op called Capt. Scrap Antiques, Collectibles, and More near the lake where we vacation. I decided it was time to venture out on my own and give small business ownership a shot, and I am so happy I did. Capt. Scrap's is amazing: six buildings full of the best vintage and antique vendors you'd ever want to meet. I am happy to report the co-op endeavor is working out very well. I love tending my small space and sales are solid. Luckily for me, my biggest challenge is space. I find so many awesome treasures that I don't have enough room to display my entire inventory. Eventually, I realized opening my own Etsy shop would allow me to be able to bring even more of my vintage riches to a much wider audience, and VintageVagabond1967 on Etsy was born in June.

Pyrex Casserole Dishes available in my Etsy shop.

Its been a most enjoyable journey going from a yard sale hobbyist checking items off the wish lists of my family and friends to an independent small business owner offering my vintage wares to a global customer base, and I look forward to building an extensive and amazing shop inventory for both my local and world-wide customers' shopping pleasure.

If you are in the South Jersey area, check out Capt. Scrap's in Woodbine.