An inside look at how vintage shops find those hidden gems

There’s something special about owning jewelry, furniture or art that’s had a previous life. I have an art deco engagement ring I found at the Metrolina Expo. The mid-century cedar closet from my grandmother’s basement sits in my oldest son’s bedroom, and the refurbished bookcase I bought for $4 at a garage sale has moved with me for 20 years.

Each is important — for its unique style, the memory of the acquisition and the history behind the piece.

Vintage items have been sold at thrift stores, flea markets and rummage sales for decades, but it’s become easier to locate what you want with the availability of online stores and boutique shops. These vintage shops cater to the specific wants of the consumer, and essentially, they do the time-intensive work of finding the hidden gems.

Who’s selling vintage?

Tara Mauldin owns East of Pine, an Etsy site for vintage costume and gold and diamond jewelry, which she runs part-time. She’s a full-time certified ophthalmic assistant with a glaucoma surgeon, but shops when she can.

“When I have a few extra hours in the evening or on the weekends, I try to ramp it up and put a lot of stuff up,” said Mauldin. “But it’s ridiculous how much stuff I have to list.”

Mauldin has loved antique jewelry when she was a kid.

“I used to go through my grandmother’s jewelry box and I was fascinated by vintage jewelry,” she said.

Lauren Renfroe and Chris Renfroe sell furniture and home décor full-time at their shop FatCat in Sleepy Poet’s Antique Malls at 4450 South Boulevard and 111 West Main Avenue in Gastonia. They carry lamps, knick-knacks, clocks, old signs, art glass, art and movie memorabilia.

“We mainly look for really funky stuff,” said Chris. “Things that we don’t typically see every day.”

Adrienne Davis has been selling vintage furniture, accessories, art and rugs for five years through her company OMG Adrienne Davis Designs. Davis has booths at the Sleepy Poet on South Blvd and Slate Interiors at 1401 Central Ave.

“I just like things with interesting shapes and histories behind them,” said Davis. “I refurbish them before they go out on the sales floor (at Slate Interiors).”

Where do they find their items?

The Renfroe’s get most of their items from estate sales, but will shop yard sales, thrift stores and other random places in search of the right pieces for their booths.

“We don’t necessarily buy every day, but we look,” said Chris.

Davis said she can’t think of place she doesn’t shop — yard sales, Habitat Restores, estate sales and thrift stores.

“I’m out all the time and then I have some people who pick up things for me,” she said.

Who’s buying vintage?

According to the Renfroe’s, there’s a wide range of people buying vintage. They’ve noticed both baby boomers and young professionals making purchases. Some of their top sellers are wine racks made from news reels. Vintage toys, vinyl records, comics, old cameras and funky patio furniture are all popular. Typically, they sell everything as is.

At FatCat’s booths at Sleepy Poet, the Renfroe’s try to keep it affordable for college students and young professionals. They sell higher-end items on Cherish, an online furniture and home décor site.

Favorite finds

– Mauldin’s best find was a morning brooch from the 1800s she found eight years ago on Valentine’s Day at a thrift shop for $35. She hasn’t sold it.

– Chris Renfroe’s favorite find is a snow shoe mold from the 1800s. It hangs on the wall at home. “I love old random primitive stuff. That one has always stuck out in my mind,” he said.

– Davis found a Moroccan rug at a thrift shop and she kept it. She said, “My favorite finds are the ones that come with a bit of history.”

Got a favorite vintage find? Share on Instagram and tag us @cltfive.

Photos: Courtesy of East of Pine, FatCat and OMG Adrienne Davis Designs

This story was originally published September 7, 2017 at 10:22 PM.