Antique Booth Basics: How To Begin The Process

So, you want to start an antique booth? I am sharing all my antique booth basics here with you to help you get started and it is easier than you may think.

Have you ever caught yourself dreaming about owning your very own antique booth? Have you ever wondered how to go about figuring it all out: where to start, what to do, who to contact? While there is so much excitement wrapped around the idea, determining how to begin the process of starting your own antique booth can be daunting. Today I am sharing a few antique booth basics that I feel will help you get started with the process.

Find An Antique Store That Fits Your Needs

Above all, I feel that locating an antique store that you feel comfortable with is most important. While there are several things to be comfortable with: cleanliness of the store, size of the store, etc… I feel that the people IN the store matter most. In my opinion, the people who “work the store” when you are not there do matter. They will, indeed, be the ones selling your items – whether behind the cash register or walking the floor. I feel that it is best to have a booth in a store where the owner and workers are kind, courteous and respectable.

If you are lucky enough to have several stores to choose from in your area, then I would suggest spending some time getting to know the store owners and the people that work the store before deciding where to plant your “booth roots.”

It is important to mention that some stores may have a waitlist. If this is the case in your area, then be prepared to wait for a spot to open up.

Consider Pricing And Contracts

Pricing may also be a factor in determining which antique store you choose to go with. It is also important to note that stores do it differently so you will want to inquire about this before you begin. Some antique stores only charge per square foot and some charge by the foot and take a commission. The standard commission is usually around 10% of sales in my area.

You may also want to ask about other withdraws from your check as well. For example, some stores take out next months rent, credit card fees and taxes.

You may also be asked to sign a contract. Make sure you are aware of things like you time commitment. Some stores want you to sign a yearly lease while others are month to month. Typically, stores will only ask for one months notice if you want to leave.

Study Traffic Flow

Again, if you have options in your area I feel that taking a moment to look at the store’s traffic flow may be valuable. Before choosing a store, I would suggest dropping by at different hours to see what the traffic is like. I know this isn’t fool proof, but it may help! My thoughts are – especially on the weekends – if the store does not have a very high volume of traffic then you will not make a lot of money. You need shoppers to make sales.

Extra Events

Which leads me to my next point. I would also ask if the store did any extra ‘events’ to draw in traffic. For example, the shop that I am in now does several events throughout the year to draw in customers. They host evening ‘Sip N’ Shop’ events during the holidays, they promote storewide sales during the year, and they host larger events as well. Most recently, they hosted a dog adoption last Saturday afternoon. All of these events are done in an effort to draw in customers so that the dealers can make more sales. As a dealer, I really appreciate the effort that the store makes.

Do They Advertise

This is also another important way that stores can promote sales for YOU, a dealer. I would ask what sort of adverting the store does. While advertising in print is good, I feel that advertising on social media is almost more important. While you can search for the store at home on social channels, I do feel it is important to determine if the store you are choosing has a dedicated social media person.

Consider Starting Small

You do not have to start an antique booth with a huge space. My first booth was only a 6 by 6 foot space. It was the prefect size for me (and my friend Carla who talked me into opening it with her). Within six months, as I got the hang of things, I moved into a much larger booth. During those initial six months, I learned a lot about staging and merchandising. I had never done anything like this before.

Focus On What You Are Passionate About

I have found that my sales are more successful when I stick with what I love. I adore primitives and true antiques and vintage and that is what I sell in my antique booth. I have also found that I prefer smalls (a term used to describe items that are not large, like furniture.) When I fill my booth with those items (as opposed to mid-century modern items that are hot, but not me) then I am usually very successful. This also makes shopping for and working with the items in the booth so much more fun because you are surrounding yourself with things you love.

Know What The Store Sells

Make sure that you take a moment to analyze what type of store you are requesting to join. You want to make sure you align with WHAT the mall is currently selling. Is it a true antique mall? Does is sell mainly crafts and handmade goods? How about reproductions? Is it a good mix of all of those things?

If you want to sell antiques and vintage and the store that you are interested in is full of crafts and handmade goods then it may not be the perfect fit for a true vintage/antique seller. If you want to sell true vintage and antiques then (in my opinion) you may want to join a mall that is surviving, thriving, and selling the kinds of things you will be selling too.

Inventory

If you are a new dealer, do NOT underestimate how much inventory it will take for you to fill those shelves. Also – do not underestimate how much TIME it will take. Remember, you will have to shop for, scrub, repair, and tag your items. All of that takes time, a lot of time.

Also, plan on buying more than you think you will need. It take A LOT of ‘stuff’ to fill a booth – you will be surprised. With this in mind, be prepared to make an investment initially and plan to buy more than you think you will need.

You will also want to carry a back stock of inventory to fill in gaps as items begin to sell. I always like to think of it this way: empty shelves are ‘money making’ opportunities lost. An additional thing to think about is that you will need to have a storage area of some kind (think garage, storage unit, etc..) to store and organize all of those items.

Finally, you need to make sure that the area that you live in has plenty of opportunities for you to purchase inventory for your booth. I am very lucky because I live only a short drive from the Atlanta area and there are many buying opportunities in and around the city. If you can’t locate inventory to purchase then you won’t be able to make sales.

NOTE – Price Tags: As you prepare your inventory for the shelves you will want to ask your store if they have specific requirements for the price tags. Some stores may have strict ‘price tag expectations’ while others may not. I have been in stores that do it both ways.

NOTE – Sold Items: Most malls that I have been in will give you an opportunity to review your sales daily. Currently, the store I am in will load up all sales for the day (after 6:00) into a computer program and dealers can securely log in to see daily sales anytime. I know that other stores use similar programs that will send emails directly to the booth owner. These opportunities to review sales daily is a great way to know what inventory has sold and what holes need to be filled with fresh inventory.

Your Booth Staging Can Matter

I would suggest that you plan to make time to really “stage” your booth. Being thoughtful with your merchandising will help to draw potential customers into your space and will get them excited about buying from you. The more inviting the space then the more likely that shoppers will want to enter your booth. For example, I have found that something as simple as ‘lighting’ can draw people in and make a big difference. Being mindful of the customers experience in your booth can make a difference!

If you aren’t sure where to start with this, then simply walk around other antique booths and see what staging techniques you are drawn to – and why. You can also look online and for different ideas. The opportunities for staging inspiration are endless and with a little effort you will find what works for you!

Finally, after your booth is up and running, I have found that it is important to make time to re-stage your booth. Many times, the same customers will come back in time and time again. If you move things around then you are more likely to make more sales to those same people, because the space looks different. You will also need to do things like dust and sweep to keep your booth space inviting!

Go For It But Give It Time

Once you get all set up, you will be so excited to see sales roll in. That is the whole point of this, right! However, I would suggest that you allow yourself 3-6 months before making a true evaluation of your success. You see, there are so many factors that play into sales. Things like the time of the year that you are starting in (it can be a bit more challenging to make sales in Q1) and being in the middle of a global pandemic.

Don’t Put Too Much Pressure On Yourself

Over the span of almost 10 years I have been in 4 antique stores. I currently am a dealer in the best little store ever called Kelly and Company Antiques! There is a lot of work involved and it does take time, but I love it!

Starting an antique booth for the first time is a huge deal! But, there really is no better time than the NOW to simply go for it! With just a bit of research and time, you could be on your way to fulfilling your “antique booth” dreams. My hope is that these antique booth basics will help you to jump right in!