Welcome to Part 2 of the tour of my antique business. As I mentioned Friday in Part 1, I sell antiques in three different antique malls, and today we'll be visiting the Mega Mall in Lansing, Michigan.
The picture below is my first booth at the Mega Mall. Before moving in, I papered the walls with vintage wallpaper from my collection, then filled it with colorful wares. I sell hats, tole ware, depression glass, and painted furniture from this booth:
I sell handmade items in my Etsy shop, including these spoon pendants that sell briskly:
I also sell vintage finds in my Etsy shop, and my yoyo doilies have been reliable sellers:
I have other little ways I make money too. I am a writer for IndieMade, an online selling venue and blog hosting platform, and my blog generates some income from Google ads. Originally, I had dreams of "monetizing" my blog with more ad space, but I've turned down several advertisers because I don't like their products. To me, it would ruin the appearance of my blog for readers to see a weight loss product being advertised next to beautiful vintage items.
My van is always full of stuff:
And how much time do I spend working on my business? I spend seven days a week, from the time I wake up in the morning until about 8:00 p.m. working on some aspect of my business, with breaks for lunch, dinner and dog walking. Because I consider my blog part of my business, I'm including blog writing, working on crafts and other creative projects in my calculations. Basically, my whole life is my business, and I couldn't be happier! Even when I go on vacation, one of the first things I do is search for the nearest antique shops to see what they offer, or start taking pictures for a future blog post.
I have a lot of great vintage craft supplies:
In summary, I don't think anyone starts an antique business because it's easy money. It has to be a labor of love, and it definitely is for me. I promised in my last post that I wouldn't tell you that it's hard to make a living as an antique dealer. If you start your antique business as a part time business while keeping your full time job, you will see for yourself the effort it takes to earn money in the antique world. Realistically, I think an antique business is perfect as a "hobby business" or a second "career" for a person that has retired from their job.
So that's it! I hope you enjoyed the tour and learned a little along the way.
Mitzi
Mitzi this was so informative! You are very good at what you do and your displays are stunning! Thanks for the tour!
Posted by: sharon | 09/01/2013 at 10:48 AM
Hi Sharon,
One of the things that keeps me going is the support of my friends like you! Just a comment here and there really means a lot. Thanks so much!
Mitzi
Posted by: Mitzi Curi | 09/01/2013 at 12:47 PM
Thanks for sharing your story. You are a busy woman! Your Etsy shop pics are so pretty- what type of camera do you use?
Posted by: Judy D. | 09/01/2013 at 08:01 PM
Hi Judy!
Thanks so much! I use a Canon Rebel XSi that I bought second-hand on Craigs List from a photographer that was in the process of upgrading, so I got a good deal on it. Its been a great camera for me.
Mitzi
Posted by: Mitzi Curi | 09/01/2013 at 08:26 PM
I loved this tour, Mitzi! And am very impressed. I can't imagine keeping track of all your inventory. Definitely a labor of love and a very entertaining one!
As always, wishing you great success.
G
Posted by: Georgianna | 09/11/2013 at 07:31 PM
Hi Georgianna,
So glad you enjoyed the tour! Thanks for the well-wishes for success. I feel successful already, because Im happy and Im able to pay the bills. Its a good thing Im not expecting to get rich, though!
Mitzi
Posted by: Mitzi Curi | 09/11/2013 at 08:01 PM