Planning our 5th Anniversary celebration

My store, Laura's Antiques will have been in business 5 years on June 1st. We are just starting to plan our celebration on Saturday June 4th.  I am excited about this, I hope you are too. We will be serving refreshments and running a store wide sale. I hope to post pictures after the party for those of you who won't be able to attend. In the meantime I will write more about some of the cool items in the shop.

Where do I find items for my shop?

People are always asking me where I find items. There is no one good answer to that question. Since I own the shop I have a number of people either calling or coming in with things they want to sell. This is a good method of buying for me because I no longer have as much time to look for items.

Before I opened my store I had several booths in antique malls. At that time I did not get the option of buying from individuals who came in. When I had the booths I attended auctions almost every weekend. Most areas have a local auctioneer who does estate auctions. This is a good place to purchase vintage and antique items. You do need to have some idea of what an item is worth before you decide to bid on it. While there are bargains to be had, sometimes people pay way to much. I have seen people pay more for an item at auction than they are will to pay in a shop.

Flea markets are another good source. There are several here in Kansas that I like to go to. Usually, the dealers at the flea market have lower prices and you can pick up nice items for a reasonable cost.

Don't forget the antique stores. Not all dealers now what they have. I have made some very good buys. It is impossible for anyone to know about every subject and sometimes dealers have an item that they do not know much about and price it too low.

Last but not least is the Garage sale. I find a lot of items at garage sales and church rummage sales. They may not be worth a great deal but if I pay 50 cents for an item I can sell for $5 I feel like I got a good deal.

Happy hunting.

Spring is here. Time to shop for yard art.

Spring is here and it is time to go to the local antique shops and flea markets to find things for your yard. Over the years I have had a wide variety of items that look great outside. You can make wonderful benches from old beds. Just use the foot board of an ornate iron bed, add seat and front legs. These are very cute.

In years past I have found vintage bird baths with just the right amount of patina. We have also had concrete animals. We currently have an old reel lawn mower, metal screens from an old house, & a neat vintage tractor sprinkler. These things can be set around or used to give your yard a vintage feel.

Come see us soon.

What should I collect? How about collecting some history.

Both

People often wonder what they should collect. There are a lot of options out there. I thought that I would share with you one of my interests. I collect items from towns that my family is from. Both of my Parent are from small towns where a lot of the places are no longer there. Finding Souvenir items from these towns is a challenge. Also, it is fun to find old advertising from businesses that used to be in these towns.

If you decide to collect this type of thing you have a lot of options. I like glass and pottery so I tend to buy souvenir glass or premiums that were given away by businesses. I have managed to collect several plates advertising old businesses and a piece of Watt pottery, also advertising, from my Dad's home town. I also have a few post cards from there. This is a town of about 300 people so there is not a lot of items available.

If you like advertising items you can find pencils, tins, clocks, thermometers and many more items. Farm implement companies put out a lot of advertising items.

Many of these items can be obtained for a reasonable price. They are fun and help you connect to history. I have pictured some items available in my store. The calendar is an advertising piece from Medicine Lodge, Ks. The bell is for a hockey team, The Wichita Wind. There are two glass souvenirs from Salina, KS and wooden shoe also from Salina.

Try Shopping at your Local Antique store for a change

Every day it amazes me how many people comment that they have never been in an antique store before. I have come to realize that many people have no idea what they will find. Some assume they would have no interest while other assume that everything will be too expensive for them. Both assumptions are wrong.

Most stores carry both antiques and collectibles. That can be something really old or a current collectible that you would buy at the local gift shop. Our store carries all kinds of items. We have tools, toys, newer and old jewelry (both fine and costume), home decor items, sports items, glass, pottery and much more. There is something for everyone in an antique store.

Prices vary in this type of store. We carry item for under one dollar to items that are thousands. It all depends on the item. Many items that we use, like drinking glasses, are cheaper here than at your discount stores. Vintage and antique furniture isn't just unique, it is less expensive and better quality than you can buy anywhere else. Most of the furniture in an antique store is better constructed and made solid wood, not fiber board.

The next time you are looking for an item, try something new and check out the local antique store.

Starting a new booth at an antique mall

I have had my store for almost 5 years now. Before I decided to that I had booths in Antique malls owned by other people. Business has been a little slow so far this year so I have decided to put a booth in at the Abilene Downtown Antique Mall in Abilene, KS. It is a lot of work but the owners of that mall are willing to let me advertise my store in the booth I am renting. This week my days off are being spent looking for shelves and packing items for my new booth. I hope that any of you that are in either Abilene, KS or Salina, KS will stop by and see what we have.

People who read my blog

Just thought I would thank everyone who has read my blog. I hope you enjoy it and will return. An easy way to keep informed is to become a follower. Simply click the follow button on the right hand side of the screen and blogger will let you know when I have added a new blog. I will continue to write about different collectibles and also about my shop.