stores we love
TLC Thrifty Boutique
Downtown OP
There’s few things we love more than picking thr ough Grandma’s attic and it exploded (in a good way) at TLC.
VKC: What are your favorite pieces to buy? Teresa: I love all things rusty and crusty, soft and weathered and cracked and peeled. I love it all. VKC: How would you describe the style of the items in your shop? Teresa: I try to have a little something for all junkers. Antique, vintage, retro and repur- posed. My shop is kind like going to Grand- ma’s house with a little twist. VKC: Describe your favorite pieces in your own home, the ones you couldn’t bear to sell. Teresa: My 1930 and 1940 photo frames. Love, love, love them and my Granny’s pink flamingo mirror—it makes me smile every time I look in it. I remember it hanging in my Grandmother’s living room for years. I loved it so much that I would ask her, “One day when I grow up can I have it?” She would always say, “One day.” (She loved it as much as I did.) Well I grew up and I have it. Love you Grandma! VKC: Where are your favorite picking spots? Teresa: I love pickin’ with my daughter or my sisters, wherever it may take us! VKC: What is the biggest item you’ve sold? Teresa: Well this may sound sappy, but the biggest item sold is good memories. I love
VKC: How long have you been picking? Teresa: As long as I can remember. VKC: What got you started? Teresa: I come from a long line of pickers. It is something we all did together on a regular basis. A family that picks together stays together! My grandmother got me started. She took me to “The Old Man’s OnThe River” (somewhere on the Kaw River, in Bonner Springs I believe) when I was very young. The place had tons and tons of junk . I was hooked from that point. The place is long since gone but I will never forget it. It was a picker’s dream. VKC: When did you decide to open your own business and why? Teresa: I decided to open my own shop in February of 2011 after the loss of my husband and the loss of my corporate career. I had always wanted to open my own shop and for years my husband encouraged me to do just that, but I did not want to leave the security of a steady pay- check. So after the loss of both I figured I would give it a shot! I love junk. As my daughter and I say, we love junk so much we get junk drunk! VKC: What advice do you have for new pickers? Teresa: Pick what speaks to you. People love a good story!
it when people come into the shop and see things that bring back memories—memories they have not thought of in years. Some share their memories, some laugh and some cry, but yeah, great memories. VKC: What is your business philosophy? Teresa: To make people feel welcome. When people feel welcome they come back! VKC: What experience do you hope your customers have in your store? Teresa: I want my customers to feel welcome and appreciated. A friends and family experience. VKC: Why do you continue to do what you do? Teresa: I love the adventure/journey this has giv- en me and I love being with family and friends. VKC: What else do you want people to know about you and your store? Teresa: TLC is now opening to vendors who love the adventure as much as I do. Contact us via Facebook, tlcthrift@yahoo.com or call 913-461-3779. VKC: What other vendors do you adore? Teresa: Grandma Great’s Treasures (GGTs on Etsy), Funky Finds Vintage Retro, Gypsy Barn, Weston Primitive Co., Liberty Belle, Hello Sailor, Nook & Cranny, Good Company, and Now & Then, just to name a few.
VintageKC / Summer 2012 45
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