From Recycled to Upcycled
ANTIQUE AND DÉCOR STORES SPECIALIZE IN THE UNIQUE
By Vicki Ikeogu
If assemble yourself , Ikea-style products are what you are looking for , then the chance of finding what you are looking for are pretty good . However , for those on the hunt for the perfect focal piece for their living room , the right antique to tie their kitchen together , or that one-of-a-kind statement piece to make their family and friends jealous , the quest used to be challenging .
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Not anymore though . Thanks to design shows on popular TV channels like HGTV and DIY , upcycling – the creative reuse of old , worn out products – has exploded in markets north of the Twin Cities .
“ People don ’ t want cookie cutter stuff in their homes ,” said Steve Foy , owner of Design Consign in Brainerd . “ They want a few creative , unique pieces .”
Design Consign , 201 S Sixth St ., has been open in Brainerd for the past six years .
“ I also own an estate sale company in Brainerd ,” Foy said , “ and we would go into a lot of homes that didn ’ t have enough to host an estate sale but had some really interesting pieces . So , we decided to open a retail store and sell product on consignment .”
The 7,000-square-foot store features a variety of items , including an old English style telephone booth , a 1922 Ford Model TT pick up , and at one time a concrete statute of Johnnie Walker of Johnnie Walker whisky fame .
“ You never know what you are going to see when you walk in here ,” Foy said . “ Every day is a new adventure for me .”
It ’ s a feeling that Ron Mortiz , manager of Yesterdays in Alexandria , knows all too well .
“ Yesterdays has been going strong for 24 years ,” Mortiz said . “ I would describe it as an antique , decorating store . We do a lot of staging on our showroom floor to show how people can make antiques look current .”
Yesterdays , 517 Broadway St ., specializes in repurposing a variety of everyday objects into statement pieces .
“ Something unusual we have done is transform a chicken feeder into a new planter ,” Mortiz said . “ We sell quite a few oak carved dressers that have been repurposed . And barn wood and galvanized metal incorporated into furniture has been huge .”
Mortiz said Yesterdays has its own set of “ pickers ” who frequent auctions and estate sales to find products for the Alexandria store . Once the product has been purchased , a team of Yesterdays staff work on upcycling .
“ We repurpose and remix everything ,” he said .
About 60 percent of the merchandise on display at Yesterdays is owned by the store . The remaining is split among several vendors who rent space to sell items like glassware and painted furniture .
“ We have a variety of dealers ,” Mortiz said . “ So , it ’ s a good mix for us .”
Just a minute down the road , Tiffany and Chris Schmidt are also hoping to capitalize on the uniqueness of the antique shopping market .
The owners of Not 2 Shabby , 109 Sixth Ave . W , have been in business since September after recently purchasing The Golden Giraffe antique store .
“ We specialize in repurposed and refurbished furniture ,” Tiffany Schmidt said .
The couple , who own a hobby farm , spend hours driving around to local farms and auctions to find