Road Trip Again!

I'm off on a

 road trip

 for a week

scouting the Midwest to see what

treasures I can find

for 

you!

Over the last 35 years in this business,

I have heard a million times,

"Ohhhh . . . you have the perrrrfect job!

That's what I want to doooo . . . ."

And

you know what?

They're right!

I DO 

have the perfect job!

I love my job.

I love traveling,

 searching,

 prowling through barns and attics . . . 

buying,

and

meeting wonderful folks

all over the country!

I love the thrill of the hunt

and

the surprise of what I might stumble

onto . . . 

Such a surge of adrenaline when I come upon some

 especially lovely item

 I never expected to find!

Pitter-Pat . . . Pitter-Pat

I love the excitement of packing my bags and loading the gear necessary for a road trip!

Trailer

totes

blankets

packing supplies

magnifying glass

M&M's

magnets

silver polish

bungees

and

a Thule

 on the top!

Hat

sunglasses

Wellies

rain gear

sunscreen

you name it - I may need it on any given journey!

I've been chased by tornadoes

swept off the road in high winds

rained out

mudded in

sunburned

barked at

chased

startled by snakes

tickled by mice

and

followed by strange men.

Or was that "tickled by strange men" ?

(Heck - I've bought antiques from some pretty strange men!)

Hi Mike - not you . . . 

There's a wonderful sense of anticipation as I set out on the road to hunt for treasure.

I have developed a network of friends and suppliers

 across the country

and

come to know a lot of wonderful folks who

share my obsession.

(Guys with 6 huge sheds full of who knows what.)

AND

I recently bought from a gentleman who'd been on the American Pickers T.V. show.

Before I leave town

I make a few calls

to determine who's got some fresh finds

and

plot my journey

accordingly.

It's pretty common for one picker to send me on to another,

so the trail can meander somewhat . . . 

but it's all good.

I may find things at auction or in someone's barn or attic.

There may be some farm sales

or

flea markets

or

junk shops.

You name it, I've shopped it.

There is a kinship among the group

and

I find I can be invited home to supper

or to share a glass of iced tea on the porch

as likely as not.

We may sit late and swap lies

or

keep on prowling by the light of a lantern.

It's always fun.

This trip is extra special

because my daughter 

Kellie

(who is my new partner)

is joining me on the trip.

We'll enjoy the camaraderie

and

kinship

as well as

the

journey!

I'll be back next week with a big truckload 

of sweet antiques for you to see

so

stay tuned!

I never know what I'll find.

I may head out with a desire for French Country

 or primitives

but find instead that I come upon a wealth of industrial chic

or

Italian Florentine and crystal chandeliers!

As the saying goes . . . 

"The worst day antiquing is better than the best day working!"

DWELL ANTIQUES & HOME

I've been keeping busy 

preparing for the new shop

DWELL

Antiques and Home

and

maintaining the quality and quantity of inventory

at

PATINA

Antiques and Home

and

neglected to sit down and share the journey

with you my

friends!

The delightful daily process of

 hunting, examining and choosing

 beautiful and soul nourishing treasures

 could 

consume all my waking hours!

THE JOURNEY

toward creating a shop

is more than

 licensing, legal documents,

 leases, list making,

 signage, 

contracts, 

operating agreements, corporate docs and construction.

It's more than

stress,

financial statements

and

restless nights.

It's even more than choosing 

the flavor of inventory

style

and

personality of your shop.

It's about 

making life decisions

and long term commitments

and

choosing

to

lock into a lifestyle

that,

once chosen,

is

there to be lived with

day in and day out.

Like marriage or child bearing,

these decisions

change your life,

for a 

long, long, long time.

There are no vacations from retail.

No

 "unsigning"

 of long term leases,

no

divorce from obligations

no way to 

opt out.

WHEW!!!!!

I've lived for 35 years in a retail lifestyle.

Owning a small business is an everyday challenge.

The shopkeeper's holidays are geared around 

what customers desire

and

the hours they prefer to shop.

Price competition from the big guys is unbelievably fierce.

Consumers cannot always afford to make a choice to own

 a one of a kind, 

handmade or antique item,

 when a mass-produced lookalike is readily available at a fraction of the price.

(Who could blame them?)

That said,

I would not dream of any other approach to life.

I have chosen who I am comfortable being.

I have chosen to be content with a small portion of the retail pie.

To present a tiny portion of the population 

with a

  small and select range of wares 

which I hope will

 enhance their live and nourish their spirit.

Limiting?

Challenging?

Thought provoking?

Time consuming?

(Questionable logic?)

Yep!

Worth it?

As the saying goes,

"PRICELESS"!

If you know me, 

you know that my life revolves around my belief system.

Being a blessing to

God

family

all others

then,

working hard to do my best 

to be self sustaining

and

to have something left over to give away.

I'm sharing with you because many ask.

. . . . YES . . . .

The new shop is coming along,

slowly

but no doubt in perfect 

time.

Prayers !