Update on Booth 252... 7 Weeks Down and Going Strong!

In case you are just tuning in, it’s been almost two months since my hubby and I started our new booth business at the Ohio Valley Antique Mall. Everyone has been super supportive and helpful during our transition period. Going from a display case to a floor space was quite the challenge. BUT after the dust had settled, the paint had dried, and the shelves were stocked… we realized, “Hey, we are actually doing this!” I suppose we were so focused on finishing the space that we forgot the reality of it all. We always wanted to have a booth business and here we go, we were well on our way!! So, without further ado… here is the update on booth 252… 7 weeks down and going strong!

First of all, to be vintage vendors is our passion so we picked a GREAT location! To us, Ohio Valley Antique Mall feels like home and we LOVE it! And we feel oh so blessed and privileged to be part of their store! I’m thrilled to be a part of this wonderful group of dealers.

here’s why I love my antique mall:

The vintage vendor community has been very kind to us as well as supportive. They have been very encouraging, and have offered great advice and tips. I’m loving the wide variety of choices, and the overall uniqueness… I enjoy being a part of it all!

what’s working in my booth?

After the booth was set up we still needed to tackle some of the special touches. We wanted to stand out a little from the rest. We worked on the logo, lighting, and layering! And so far it all looks FANTASTIC! Customers have “found” my booth and like my color palette and my vintage items! Our curated booth design has made all the difference!

How are sales?

To our surprise we were selling things before we even got the booth finished! So far, in less than 2 months, we have sold 55 items! To put this in perspective… in our display case, our merchandise was relatively slow-moving. After four months of sales, we were not reaching our goals. Now, in our 8×10 floor space, we have a lot more traffic flow and visibility. So, we are picking up momentum… which is a marvelous thing!

what have I learned so far?

It’s definitely true what they say… smalls pay the rent. Right now baskets are a hot item as well as small painted tables, colorful vintage books, and ceramics!

Pricing is tricky. I’m still working on that part. You don’t want to be too high because you’ll lose customers, and you don’t want to be too low because you’ll upset the ecosystem of the antique store.

What WILL I need to work on?

Well, so far the biggest challenge has been finding inventory and keeping an extra stockpile on hand. But now that it’s summer, we have added rummage sales, garage sale and flea markets to our repertoire. So I’m not too worried anymore. Good thing we LOVE to treasure hunt!

off to a great start!

In just seven short weeks I assure you that I am far from being an expert. But I can tell you this… that for a side hustle and a part-time retirement job, it’s pretty great to be doing what you love! It is everything we thought it would be and more! It has been profitable and fun and we are absolutely thrilled with the outcome! So, if you have ever had an inkling of starting up an antique booth business… GO FOR IT! Let’s be BOLD! Let’s contemplate a side hustle! And don’t forget… let’s get HOMEY!

If you are in the area, please come see my booth (#252) at the Ohio Valley Antique Mall.
Please check out my Homey Blue Heron Store on eBay for great vintage finds, including some wonderful vintage vases! Thanks!
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If you enjoyed this post, see my earlier article, “My New Antique Booth: Getting Ready for Opening Day!“