June 2017
For those who always wanted to know the story of how I restarted Loulette's... this was a post that was unpublished from
SO I did it again… just as I found peace with myself that I
was not going to resell any more vintage items, I sold all my tools of the
trade (except not Jennie the mannequin) and washed my hands of the whole
process. It’s not that I didn’t LOVE
vintage or having vintage or making sure others had great vintage, I was just
too darn busy with all the other aspects of my life and selling as a second job
is a full time job!
SOOO as I mentioned I got rid of all the things I needed to
sell… and then it happened. I happened
upon the mother of all auctions.
Auctions for me have been a great way to obtain treasures at a low price
and I just clean the items up and either keep or resell and so I just so happen
to stumble upon this auction in June that to be honest has to be one of the
freakiest finds ever.This is a picture from their website of what the place looked like BEFORE they sold the items at the auction, actually before they listed the items. I think someone had a hoarding issue! More than my hoarding issue, which I still vow I DO NOT HAVE A HOARDING ISSUE!! LOL!
SOOOOOOOOO off I go in my SUV to an auction in Jersey to get
me some vintage dresses. The ad for the
auction stated 200-300 dresses. I just
had to see this for myself. The hour and
20 min drive in the rain and parking in a large field looking over the rusting
masses of items on this farm and cant image 200-300 dresses of any quality
being anywhere near this place and so a little disappointed feeling I said well
I mines well at least inquire because I
did walk up early and drive all the way here. And so I got out of the truck and
walked through ankle high grass to the barn to ask.
I asked one of the really nice people working the auction if
the dresses are still here and are they selling. I am still thinking that I
must be mistaken because this place is trashed and no way I see anything
remotely what I was looking for. But I
am determined.
The man points to another woman who leads me to the back of
the barn and up some stairs. Typical old
barn full of TONS of old crap and as I walk up I am most certain now I will
just be getting in my truck and going home empty. As we head to the second floor of the barn
there is a room and when she opens the door it was like a light of vintage gold
shown down. This room was filled with
vintage dresses in all sizes, colors, shapes and ages from 1940s through 1980s
and hanging up and some in bags. There
had to be over 1000+ dresses hanging!!! There
were vintage furs and leather and probably 50+ bags of more clothes. I had to step back and take a breath, I don’t
think I have ever seen so many vintage items in all my life.
She informed me that the story goes something like this, that
the man who passed away whose auction this was had multiple stores he owned a
horse saddle shop and he bought a vintage clothing store for a niece who he
loved. This niece decides to up and move to California
with a boyfriend and so the assumption is that this man took all the items and
stored them in this loft in the barn. I
wonder if she thought she would return?
The man auctioneer guy appears in the doorway and tells me
that a lady from NY had already been down and got over 1,000 dresses, this is
what remained. I needed a moment to sit
down because I honestly don’t think I could process all this. A man buys a vintage store with clothes many
years ago for a niece and she leaves and he takes all the clothes and stores
them for years in a loft in a barn. This
is the craziest most awesome find ever!
SO NOW I have to carefully figure out what pieces I want to
try and bid on as obviously there is a lot to look at. I find a few pieces and note the lots they
are in and have a price point in my head
of how much I would pay. I wait around
and watch as a few other ladies come by and take a look at the lots. I wait.. and I wait… and I wait. The rain has stopped and they have two
auctioneers going on all the other stuff and I am waiting patiently on the
dresses.
The auctioneer talks to me on the sly (I will tell you about
that conversation in a minute) and I wait and finally they tell us they are
auctioning the clothes in around 11am.
So I head back up to the loft.
There are only me and one other woman and I am shocked as usually I have
to fight tons of dealers and so I optimistic about getting the items I want.
The auctioneer explains the rules and then starts the
bidding, starts at $5 I said yes, the girl said yes to $7, I said yes to $10,
the auctioneer said how about $13, I said no but the lady said yes so now she
gets to pick as many dresses as she wants for $13 a piece. I hold my breath she doesn’t see or take the
beautiful blue vintage coat I want and so when what seemed like hours (was only
minutes she picked 4 items, I awaited the normal that he is going to sell each
lot of items. AND no he doesn’t.
He said that the woman in New York would give him $$$ for
the room of dresses including stands and bags of clothes and asked if either of
us where interested in bidding for that as he would give us first chance since
we were here. Without hesitation and
because I brought exactly that much cash with me I said I would.
And then there was a quiet hush as the auctioneer asked the
other lady if she was interested in the room for a higher bid she said no… I
think I almost passed out holding my breath.
AND SO I WIN THE ENTIRE ROOM OF CLOTHES.. all 1000+ dresses
and stands and bags… for $$$.
AND so then the reality hits.. HOW OR WHAT THE HELL am I
going to do with all these clothes?
So this is when I have to say some crazy just doesn’t cut
it. I cant even image what I was
thinking but I wanted that damn blue coat and to get it I paid $$$ and now
have to get rid of 999 other items.. LOL..
FUNNY or not I think fast on my feet and so I have to figure out how I
am going to move all these items myself down the stairs and into my SUV? And then where will I store them? I am an hour 20 mins from home and……….
This is my DAMN BLUE COAT!!
As I am hauling items back and forth a young gal stops me to
buy a few of the pieces. I didn’t even
care I told her she could have them for $5 a dress and so I made $40 as she
took 8 dresses. THANK GOODNESS as I
needed toll money to get back over the bridge out of Jersey to PA! The auctioneer seemed impressed with my
stamina and physical strength in being able to haul pounds of clothes down
stairs and to my truck for four hours.
Anyone who has moved clothes, especially coats knows how heavy they
are!
SO you are probably still reeling about this whole thing and
thinking … the same thing I am thinking.. WTH… But it seemed meant to be.. when
I woke up and drove all the way to Jersey I hadn’t planned to buy a whole store
but in reality how could I not? The
price was the exact amount of cash I took with me.
Its hard, I have to clean up the items, take really good
pictures, write descriptions, generally answer all questions and then ship the
items. It’s a process and I wasn’t sure
I wanted to tackle. But here I go! Since my old Ebay Store days the world of
Internet shopping has exploded. There is
now Instagram and Etsy.
Loulette’s Vintage Instagram https://www.instagram.com/loulettesvintage/
And so I reinstated my website Loulette’s Vintage (http://www.loulettes.com), added an
Instagram account, Pinterest board and restarted actively posting again on Loulette’s
Facebook account and now opened a Loulette’s store on Etsy. WHEW!!
Loulette’s Etsy Store:
Click here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Loulettes
Loulettes Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/WMastripolito/loulettes-vintage/
Feel free to follow me on my social platforms and maybe even buy a dress or two because I sure as heck need to find homes for some of these treasures!!!
Welcome Video:
