Running an antique and thrift shop sounds like an enjoyable and simple job, right?
All I do is I buy and sell cool, old stuff all day, do some related services — house clean outs and moving — and call it a day.
I wish!
At times my job is very cool. I go to peoples’ homes and search through attics, garages, barns, and houses looking for that long-forgotten treasure. I especially enjoy rescuing a great piece that was destined for the local landfill.
I wish all my calls were fun and exciting, resulting in finding a great item and making a large profit. But the majority of my calls are from people who have regular household items for sale.
Most often they have low-to-mid-range items, that, if at the right price, I can sell to the average person. Let’s face it, times are tough, and more people than ever are looking for good, quality, used furniture and household items.
Everyone’s main concern is price and how to determine it. We all know how expensive pretty much everything is.
Today’s inexpensive furniture pieces are made from cheap particle board and high quality craftsmanship is a thing of the past or only for the rich.
Price for me is determined by what people are willing to pay — which is not much.
So how do I determine my price?
I pay about one-third of what I list the item for. The seller gets a third, I hope to make a third, and the rest goes to expenses. So if you have a dresser to sell, and I think I can sell it for around $100, I pay about $35.
Most people understand the high costs of being in business in regard to rent, insurance, advertising, trucks, and employees’ salaries. What I offer is more than a place to buy and sell cool, old stuff. It’s a service to our community and those who live in here.
I go anywhere looking to save a piece from a landfill, and I buy almost anything I think I can find a home for. Show support for your local thrift store and antique shop, because we are here to service our local community.
—Pete Wilson, owner North End thrift in Villas, and North End Garage Antique Mall in Cape May.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
