The monkey is sold

I'm posting this twice today on two different blogs, because I think it's interesting. (click on the title above to see the other blog).

I've been busy this week. We closed down our brick-and-mortar antique booth and carted home 15 boxes of items. Now, I have to go through and decide what to toss, keep, sell and give away.

Our last week we were selling items for 70% off. We sold all the furniture but one old table - pretty good since we had about 10 pieces. Even at 70% off, we at least broke even on most things and should get a nice cash infusion over all. Kinda like what those big stores are having to do, huh?

Among those items we sold was this little chalkware monkey. The man bought him in Jefferson, N.C., at a shop in January 2007. We thought he'd jump off the shelf. Well, not quite! But I didn't think it would take 70% off to sell him. Bye, Monkey!

Shut it down?

We've had a brick-and-mortar presence in some form or another since August 2006 in Valdese, N. C.

First, we paid a huge amount of rent for this town and leased a store on our own for four months. We never came close to making the rent. It was our first business venture together, and we tested the waters. The waters were cold and chilly, and we got out ASAP.

Next we rented 1/2 booth at Myra's General Store for $35.00 a month. We always made that rent and then some. We leased a full booth in addition for $60.00 more and always made the $95.00 until sometime in spring 2008. We closed the full booth and kept the half for a while. Then, one month we only made $16.00 total and bye, bye Myra's.

In addition to the 1/2 booth at Myra's, we had a full booth at Valdese Antiques for $55.00 month. It was spotty - for four full months in 2007 we didn't make the rent, so we closed it down.

She lost the business and it became Cornerstone Antiques. In February 2008 we took a booth there for $85.00. When we closed down Myra's, we had 1 1/2 at Cornerstone for a month or two. We went back to only 1 booth in August. We've always made the rent and then some, until this month. So far, we've made $4.99 the last time I checked. And what's so bad about that is, we only paid $45.00 rent because I worked off $40.00 running the store now and then.

Now, I know all this is very small potatoes, but they're my potatoes so I keep a count of them. And when I face the thought that from now through May or so this little town has very few tourists, I am standing to lose $85 per month.

Now, I have about $1,500 in inventory in that one small booth, incredible as it sounds. And if I can't sell enough to pay $85.00 rent and then make something for myself over and above that, that means my inventory is not salable.

So, I've got to continue scouring garages sales, auctions, yard sales, flea markets, eBay, Etsy, etc. - continually on the look out for good, cheap, decent looking collectibles and antiques. Things I can buy low and sell high.

And, you know what? I don't like it anymore. The thrill is just plain gone after two years of scrabbling and bargaining and always feeling like to the old wolf is at the brick-and-mortar door.

So, me and the man have decided to pack it in at the end of December. If I can, I'll do some kind of 50% off sale in December to get the business in to sell what I can.

The rest will come home to be slowing given away, donated, Craiglist, Iwanna, eBay, Etsy - however else we can sell without being obligated to pay someone else rent again.

I guess the reaction will set in after it's all done and moved to our attic.

The passing of an Antique's Icon - Ralph Kovel

Ralph Kovel died last Thursday at the age of 88. He and his wife, Terry, published almost 100 books on antiques over the years. They have a very successful website and a free weekly ezine that I enjoy, too.

For years, the Kovel's guides have set the standard for many antiquers for pricing and knowledge about the various objects we find.

Ralph will be very much missed by the community.

(To read more, click the title above).

Working at Myra's Antiques & Collectibles

Helping Deb and Matt get a start at their new enterprise, I "volunteered" to work at Cornerstone Annex on Saturday nights during August in exchange for rent at Cornerstone proper.

I also worked Friday this week. Now, that's another 9-plus hours I spent in Myra's (aka Cornerstone Annex) after saying I'd never work there again after we pulled out of there at the end of June. There's something to be said for "never say never", because you end up feeling slightly foolish when you do the same thing again.

The Myra's that is the post-Cuba Myra's is cleaner and fuller, as Larry had his two girls put a lot of Mrs. Powell's things in there. Cuba's off to her new ventures down towards Connelly Springs. I wish her well; I heard the shop she's in now has had three failed businesses in there in the last few years. What town has not around western NC?

Business both nights was slow, slow, slow. Friday night had its usual amount of lookers - the car show brings people downtown. But they weren't in the mood to buy. Saturday was slow, with a trickle of people coming over from Myra's Italian restaurant.

There were bright spots - Eugene, the chihuahua, visited twice. Christine and Albert were next door. I got to drink Diet Mountain Dew. Leo was, as usual, an angel in disguise - showing up just when I needed him.

Off to read the Charlotte Observer.

Buying and selling a grandfather clock

Okay, so you get some meatier content when you come to my blog. I can share a few experiences with buying and selling antiques.

The first is our grandfather clock. In August 2006 we bought a grandfather clock made from a kit at an auction for $225. I thought it was a good price. Hopefully, the resale would be about double that amount.

We had opened our first shop in that month on main street in Valdese. We took the clock to the shop and put $450 on the tag. The clock had worked at the auction, but quit when we put in in the shop. We were selling it "as is". It didn't sell.

We quickly realized the shop was a loser - costing more for rent and utilities than we were taking in - a lot more! So we closed the shop and put the clock in our living room.

In June 2007 we bought a house and moved the clock to our living room. It looked beautiful. Stately, elegant, but not over the top! Still, it didn't work and didn't get us any cash back.

In April 2008, we put the clock into our booth at Cornerstone Antiques: http://cornerstoneantiques.blogspot.com/. It started working right away! Loud, beautiful quarter hour strikes. The timing was perfect. A lovely clock.

And it sold for around $300. We had lowered the price feeling it was "shopworn", which it really wasn't. But with the economy the way it's been - and hoping to get some cash out of it - well, it's gone now.

What did I learn? Maybe that $225 was too much to pay for the clock in the beginning. To my credit, that was the first auction I've ever been at for the purpose of buying inventory.

Someone in Morganton, N. C., has a beautiful grandfather clock.

111 Year Old Postcard NYC Trinity Church

Now and then you run across the truly beautiful antique card.

This one is in good shape for being 111 years old. It is copyright 1897.

Just imagine - to survive that long!

Please give it a look by clicking on the title.

43 Damaged Postcards

We listed 43 damaged postcards today on Etsy. They weren't ours; they're a commission item we're doing for a friend.

All the postcards are in some way interesting, but, boy, have they been mangled! Bends, creases, stains, rips, tears, dog bites, staple holes to name a few.

So why will anyone want them? Well, crafters can use them. So can scrapbookers. Anyone who wants old, interesting bits and pieces. I hesitate to call them "ephemera", but I guess they are.

Someone will enjoy the multitude of possibilities at a wonderful price!

View at http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13618439 or click the title above.

Selling, Selling, Selling

Leo and I have been trying hard to promote our online stores this week. So check out some links to the right.

Also, we've boosted our Cornerstone Antiques sales by moving out of Myra's. We hated to leave in some ways, but it was time. Profits took a nosedive.

So, we have a new booth at Cornerstone Antiques, 100 Main Street West, Valdese, NC. Stop by and enjoy your shopping experience in person!