Mad Maine Vintage Shop

This little blog will chronicle my ventures into selling vintage items in a local antique market.
My booth is called Mad Maine Vintage Shop - it features items inspired by a certain popular TV show,
and I am located in lovely Maine. Viva Vintage!



Friday, September 21, 2012

Should I upgrade?

I have a chance to get one of the bigger perimeter booths at my local antique market.  I signed up for it, but I have to make the final decision by Oct 1.  Part of me thinks it is premature to upgrade after just one month, despite the fact that I achieved my goal of covering rent.  Also, with a bigger space, the pressure is really on to do well.  But on the other hand, I could do much better and have significant floor space and wall space for pictures.  Currently I have no wall space (just shelves) and very little floor space as you can see here.

Tiny floor space - and what an ugly floor it is...

I have several larger items in storage that I have no room for in my booth, including a sweet old school desk and some darn cute doll furniture.  But should I risk upgrading and find out I am not cut out for this business after all?  It sure is sweet to have a profit my first month, but will I manage a similar profit with a much bigger space and almost twice the rent?  Also, does that mean I HAVE to go treasure hunting instead of wanting to go?  Will the treasure hunt turn into an obligation?

When did you know you were ready for an upgrade?
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4 comments:

  1. MelissaSeptember 22, 2012 at 10:27 AM

    So as you know I'm a newbie like you, but here is my take on it. In most business, not just ours, the first few months are great (if you have the right stuff and prices) because everyone is so excited to see something new. After that the novelty wears off and things will resume at a normal pace. This happens typically with restaurants. It's a tough decision, and I know I probably didn't help, but I just wanted you to know what I have seen. You'll figure it out, just don't make yourself sick over it and take all the fun out of it.
    Good luck!!!

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    1. Mad Maine VintageSeptember 23, 2012 at 10:13 AM

      Thanks for the input, Melissa. I have been wondering if I am just part of "the new exciting booth" syndrome as well. On the other hand, my antique market does not make you commit to a set amount of months in a space, so I figure that if I cannot handle a big booth, I can always "downgrade" back to a smaller one. Good luck with your booth - great to be intouch with a fellow newbie :-)

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  2. Chris from the 1970 Time Travel TrailerSeptember 24, 2012 at 5:26 PM

    Yours is a fine blog. So far, it, along with the great Thriftcore, are my favorite thrifting/reselling blogs. I do it part-time as profitable hobby, selling on Ebay and Craigslist, vintage 1960's-1970's etceteras. For months, I fretted over whether to spend the bigbux on an Ebay store. I did the math five different ways, but finally took the plunge last month. It has gone great guns! Ebay store owners must get higher/better search listings, I guess. The moral of the story, for you, is: you gots to spend money to make money. If you have a picker's eye, which you do, go for it. Get the better location, get wall space, etc. As long as the rental commitment isn't too long, I bet you'll enjoy the better space and make commensurately more money.

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    1. Mad Maine VintageSeptember 25, 2012 at 7:17 AM

      Thanks for the input Chris - and yes, I do believe you have to invest more in order to earn more. But it's a scary step for a newbie noentheless... Like you, I am vigilant about doing the math, even though it is a money-earning hobby on the side. BTW, I looked at your ebay store - you have a great variety of items! I am tempted to buy several things...uh, thanks ;-)

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