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We opened up a booth at a local antique store, and I thought I would take you along for the journey. Check out our fun behind-the-scenes look into a new little venture and learn how to open up an antique booth.
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Why We Rented an Antique Booth
First of all, why did we do this? Well, we certainly weren’t looking for more things to do or another business prospect.
Honestly, it all comes down to the fact that we have too much stuff and we need to get rid of it.
When we moved from our last home, we stuck most of our furniture and belongings into a storage container.
I had years of antiques and cool things collected that I just wasn’t sure if they would have a place in our new pole barn home.
I knew the stuff had value and I didn’t just want to donate it all. So we stored it.
Since designing our new home, I see my style has shifted and changed (as styles naturally do). Most of the items I had antiqued before just don’t fit the new style of our new home.
My last home was very romantic, white, even a little shabby chic. Which I loved and still do! But this new pole barn home of ours that my husband built entirely, just calls for a different style.
Something about my design approach seems to want to make sure the home represents more of him, so I find my design decisions are leaning a little more masculine, more contrast, more old-world European.
But of course, our love for old things and natural textures will never change. It just might look a little different as time goes on.
7 Tips on Opening a Successful Antique Booth
At first, I tried for some time to sell things on Facebook Marketplace, but I got so tired of lining up meetings. I also find people there just don’t pay for what things are worth.
That led me to talk to a local antique store to see if they had a booth where we could try to sell our things. Luckily, there was one open and we took it!
If you are curious about how it is doing for us, let me share some of the details as we have experienced it. We actually had it set up 3 months ago, so I do have some data to share with you.
1) Check your local stores
Find local stores near you and speak with the manager/owner. Ask them questions about availability, requirements, and what you need to do to get started.
2) Find out the rental cost
We have to pay a monthly rental fee which costs $150 for this small 8-foot squared booth. Well happily, we have cleared that fee, plus some each month. We’ve had to refill and restock it once.
I’ve managed to make enough to help pay for my kids’ tutor that helps me with homeschooling a couple of hours each day. That has been a major blessing!
Quite honestly, it just feels good to clean house and find new appreciative homes for the antiques I’ve loved.
3) Read the contract agreement thoroughly
Ask to see the contract/agreement. Make sure you can meet and agree to the requirements.
More agreements will list contract deadlines, fees, cleaning requirements, communication, etc. Make sure you can commit to all of these before signing up!
4) Gather all your antique items and price them out
Our store required we submit them previously (again, read your agreement before signing it!). Then they made the tags with our vendor number and printed them out.
We picked them up and attached them to the items before bringing them to the store.
5) Plan your style for your antique booth
Have a plan in place before you bring the items you want to sell to your booth! Acquire needed shelving and wall hooks to hang items.
I had a lot of fun filling the space, styling it as best as I could, and imagining new people visiting the booth, and bringing home new treasures that I once found and enjoyed as well.
I’d also love to stock it with my TIDBITS linen products someday, once that line grows a bit more, as we are working hard to do.
6) Style your antique shop
We recommend that you arrange a time with the owners to bring your items after hours if possible.
If not, bring your items during slow times, likely during the middle of the week.
7) Check into your antique booth regularly
Check-in regularly to clean, restyle, restock, reprice, and keep items moving. We suggest going to shop at least once per week, and checking in more often during peak seasons when shoppers are out looking for gifts.
Well, I had fun sharing this side hustle with you. If anything more comes of it, I’ll keep you in the loop. Hopefully, it will be a booming success, and I’ll spend the rest of my happy days collecting and selling antiques (wink).
Although very doubtful, it has already proven to be a great excuse to go antique shopping more often and justify a few splurges because… you know… I might be able to enjoy it for a time and then sell it for more later on!
Actually, this new mentality is kind of dangerous, but it might be a really good second career for a home blogger that swaps things around so much. 😉
Anyway, let me know your thoughts! Do you love to shop at antique stores? Have you ever dreamed of having a booth or store of your own? What do you think I should do with this little space? I’d love to hear!
If you want to shop with me right now, feel free to check out my TIDBITS Planners products and TIDBITS Linen shop. Planning and linen and antiques . . . now you are speaking my love language!
Your video is great! I opened a booth last year and it was to small. I opened another upstairs and treat them completely different. One is farm, rustic, and shabby treasures and the other is my painted furniture, nice antiques, and higher end glassware. It’s fun switching things from booth to booth when something sits for a while. I get so excited when even the smallest item sells! But really happy when a piece of furniture goes home with someone! Best of luck in your new endeavour and have fun hunting for more great finds!
Would hate selling anything I liked and could not bare to part with found treadsures!🙈
Great article!! I own an antique mall in Montana & rent out about 35 booths. Most if my dealers do very well. Great comment about visiting often. Those who visit regularly & change it up do better than others. Also, knowing a thing or two about merchandising & design can really help. Good luck with your booth!!
That is great I wish you good fortune! I LOVE to antique and yes am feeling withdrawals this past year. I keep telling myself when I get back to it it will be all the better. Wondering if your store allows you to change the white peg board? It is so off putting to me. Maybe covered in calico fabric or something that you could remove when you left but would show off you hanging items better and give the space a different feel. Just an observation please don’t take it as a critique I know nothing about selling (just buying 🙂
We had a small booth from 1998 to 2006 and had fun for a while. We went to lots of auctions and yard sales to re-stock our booth. Ebay was just getting started. My one bit of advice is, don’t purchase anything that needs work, make sure it can go directly into your shop. I loved vintage linens and spent a lot of time washing and ironing and repairing. Good luck!
Great idea and just wish I lived closer, you have some great items. Yes, I love to go antiquing or thrifting. It will be a fun and relaxing adventure, cause you have great style.
Thanks Marlene! Your comments are always so sweet. Wish we could go antiquing together!
Oh fun! I had a craft booth long time ago. It was fun. This sounds like a good solution to sell your stuff for what it’s worth…plus no setting up times for people to come by. Best wishes!
Hi Cecilia! I didn’t know you did that! It does feel good to move the stuff along to someone else. Have a lovely day!
Hi Cami! Well good for you. I have had a booth for over 2 years. I just moved to a smaller booth closer to where I live. Now, the first place I was at I made good money. I paint furniture but the smalls are what pays the rent. Plus, it is fu!! I love thrifting and creating. Good luck and have fun!
So fun to hear your experience Cheryl! Yes, I’ve been surprised at seeing the small stuff go so well. Wish we could go thrifting together!
Very interested in your experience with a booth. Have always thought about doing this. Antiquing is something my husband and I both love to do. Feeling withdraw symptoms since the pandemic, but soon enough we will be back at it! I have trouble figuring out what to part with though-even though I must. I have a feeling like you said–I would be shopping all the more! But so true styles do change. I think that is why I hang on to things as I think “I may really like that more some day!”
Thanks for coming by Frances! My heart aches you feel so withdrawn and hope you can find relief soon. Shopping therapy is a thing! I sure appreciate you coming by and wish you well.