Thursday, June 6, 2013

Learn How to Earn $1K Per Month From Your Antique Mall Booth with Jay


I've admired Jay's clean reselling style for years now, we're kindred dino-loving spirits! When he revealed that he's making over $1,000 per month from his antique mall booth in Arizona these days I had chat with him about his success and get a look at his inevitably spectacular booth:
 
1. Hey Jay, could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself and your resale shops? 

My name is Jeremiah and I have a resale booth in the Cortez Street Emporium Mall in downtown Prescott, Arizona.  I resell mostly retro or vintage mid century items with a focus on housewares, toys, and some military items.  I also have an Etsy shop, Vintique Homes and I occasionally sell on eBay as well.  I have a day job, so I resell as a weekend warrior.

2. Between reselling on Etsy and reselling in an antique mall booth, which do you like best?

 I enjoy reselling in the antique mall booth over Etsy.  It's easier.


3. I go back and forth with that myself. Hard to choose! You recently revealed you were able to get your sales up to over $1,000, what tactics do you feel help you get the sales up?

The main tactic is simply having more stuff to sell.  I've moved into a larger booth and have been able to fill it up with plenty of merchandise to offer.

4. You do have a nice, roomy space, I'm a tad envious! What's your audience like at this antique mall, what do the people here normally buy?

For the most part, it's mainly touristy, a lot of people visit our town from Phoenix, California or the Midwest.  There's some local shoppers, but most of my sales come during weekends and holidays, when the antique mall is filled with travelers.


5. What's hunt for merchandise like in AZ?

It's great, I live in a somewhat retirement community so there's a good selection of estate sales and thrift stores.  There's not usually a lot of high end items in my area but there's plenty of supply overall.

6. What's the local reselling market like in AZ?

 I've only been reselling locally for about two years and it has picked up since I started in 2011.  Mid century modern is slowly picking up, but the farm, rustic, and western cowboy look is definitely a trend around here.


7. What's your favorite part of the reselling process?

My favorite part about the reselling process would be the hunt for new items. I can go into a thrift store, flea market, or an estate sale and just get lost with nothing else to think about except finding that one item.  It's an affordable therapy session.


8. I think your reselling aesthetic and branding is admirable, how do you keep it cohesive? Tips to share?

I spend a lot of time looking at pinterest, or online for mid century modern decor, or even store websites like Anthropolgie for inspiration.  I have favorites stores on Etsy that I constantly visit and certain local resale shops that I peruse frequently.  I then try to emulate what I'd like from all those sources into the booth or in the Etsy shop.

9. What's are some challenges you've had to overcome selling in your antique mall?

The hardest part is the beginning.  Sales can be slow and it's difficult to find a niche at first. Also, it takes a lot of inventory to really make it worthwhile and to have consistent sales on a monthly basis.


10. Dinosaurs vs. robots, there can be only one! Who will win?

 Dinosaurs hands down!

I love a good success story! Chatting with Jay and looking at his selling space has me even more inspired to revamp my own space. Let's get busy and make those sales!

Tell me, what's reselling like where YOU live? What are the challenges you're facing with your antique mall booth, vintage shop, etc?
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27 comments:

  1. Great interview, and I love the space and merchandise! I may have missed it, but $1k how often?

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    1. Monthly, sorry for the confusion there. Jay and I love a lot of the same things, dinos, barware, comics.. :) Love his space

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    2. I really enjoy reading your blog - keep up the good work! :)

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    3. Aw, Thanks for the kind words!

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  2. Great post! I have always wanted to sell nice thrift finds on the side, maybe someday. I am absolutely loving the bamboo shelving he has for his glassware!!!

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    1. The photos definitely make me want to indulge my glassware fetish even more. I'm bad ;)

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  3. I love his wall of cubbie shelves.....$1,000 a month on smalls is pretty impressive. I'm trying to up the sales with larger furniture items. They are a lot of work and the hauling is physically challenging, but there's a great pay off on the other side.

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    1. That's what I'm planning behind-the-scenes, too. Almost all the smalls are coming out for the most part, they sell much better and for more online so I'm changing things up. I love the wall of cubbie shelves, too!

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    2. I've asked to expand at my mall so I have room for furniture too. My goal has been $1,000 per month, but selling all smalls I average $500. Jay has some great ideas for product inspiration. I'm starting a new Pinterest board today! Van thanks for your consistent help, all of us small time booth owners appreciate you so much!

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  4. Loved reading this Van. Where I'm based antique centres are over an hour away in another city, so it's not a path I've chased. In terms of my niche with vintage baby and children's clothes, toys, books, wall hangings, children's room decor and furniture etc, here in Australia I don't have any direct competition (at least that I've come across). Sure there is a crossover with some of the things I sell, but overall I'm pretty safe with my overall concept. So thankfully people are excited by what I'm offering. I'm so thankful that because of these points I feel as though I have time to not rush the progression of everything and keep setting things up the way I want.

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    1. Kid's clothes is an excellent niche to be in, there's always a demand for it, it's not easy to find, and it's just a fun, playful aesthetic with lots of colors to draw people in. You're doing an excellent job and your passion for it shines through :)

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  5. He has a great space! I love how bright and open it is.
    I would love to make that much in a month! I make typically make about 3 times my rent every pay period (two weeks), which is pretty good for my small space. I try to keep plenty of merchandise in stock, but I also don't want things to get crazy and cluttered.
    I really need to look into getting some cool ikea shelves like that.

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    1. I know, right? The shelves are brilliant. I love how bright and open the space is, definitely inspires me to get mine up to par. Working on that tomorrow, exciting!

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  6. The cubbies, the cubbies, the cubbies... Very nice. I needed this. $1000 in sales would work for me and has been a goal for a while. Summer has me squeamish already :( Time to WORK!
    Becky :)

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    1. It inspired me to get more merchandise for the booth, always have to freshen things up!

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  7. I don't know if anyone else agrees, but I find white shelving in a space really attention grabbing. There is one seller who has Pyrex & vintage kitchen wears in almost every antique mall around here (I've never bought from their booths besides a salt & pepper shaker set that was $5) that uses white shelves. There product isn't the best (it's top quality, but not that rare), but I always kinda feel like I'm missing out if I don't buy anything.. (never do though, it's usually all very common & if it's not, it's way overpriced).

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    1. Hmmm...good to take note of! The cubbies here really do draw the eye to the item and make it feel more clean/retail. Gonna keep this in mind as I re-do my booths. Even though I'm switching from smalls to bigs lately.

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  8. I just got a space in an antique mall in the TX hill country. Have a family place there, so visit every 2-3 weeks. Live in Houston, so lots of estate sales, thrift stores, garage sales every weekend. Signed a 6 month lease on the space, I've already made my July rent, and have only been open since the beginning of June! Great confirmation that I'm on the right track. Enjoying your blog.

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    1. Congratulations on your success, and thanks for the kind words!

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  9. Does anyone know a way to sell lots of vintage items to people who run these booths? I have booth that I would like to just commission out for someone to work with. Anyone know of any sort of "lot/bulk" sales or things like that? Looking really to just get the stuff out to someone who is more into the selling!

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    1. I'd post an ad on Craigslist or ask around in antique malls. Leave a note with antique mall store owners asking if they'd put the word out for what you're looking for to their vendors.

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  10. Thanks for the article, love the photos of the booth - inspiring! But I do have one question. Does "making" $1,000/month mean total sales, or what is left after expenses (booth rent, commission, cost of goods, etc.). It would be easy to sell $1,000/month, but not necessarily so easy to "make" $1,000/month after expenses. I had a friend who used to brag about how much she "made" selling a multi-level marketing product. Impressive numbers! But upon closer questioning, those numbers were her gross sales, not what was left for her after paying for the goods, car expenses, etc.

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    1. I forgot to ask so I'm not sure, I think it's before expenses are factored in. Still an inspiring number to attempt to reach, I've never come close gross, net or otherwise.

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