Wanted: Vintage Lots/Wholesale Vintage

Hello All!
I'm new to the forum. I'm starting an online vintage store. I'm looking for vintage lots and also need leads on great vintage wholesale suppliers. I would very much like to find a supplier who really takes care in picking out wonderful things. I live in a rural area and large wholesale places are not near me. I would also consider buying lots from a vintage shop that has to much inventory. Any advice welcome. Thanks for any info. KM

Looking for all women's clothes/accessories from the 40s through 70s. Looking for men's disco/guayabera shirts, fedora hats.

 

Kameron - Welcome!

I'm starting to do the same research as you. Just getting back to selling after a 2 - 3 year hiatus.

The only advice I can give you is whatever you do, <U>don't</U> deal with highlandauctionservices on eBay. They offer cheap lots sometimes, but I won 2 - only got 1 - got 2 retaliatory negs from them, and so on & so on. The whole experience was horrid.

Oh & be sure you go introduce yourself on the "Are you new?" board.

You may not find any lots here, but you WILL find a plethera of vintage info.

Best to ya.

 

hello Leisa

Thank you for the kind welcome. I found a wholesale place in the Vegas area. The Vintage Attic. Have you heard of them? They seem to have some cool items in their retail store. If you come across a good lead for vintage please pass it along. I will do the same for you!! Thanks for the ebay warning. Kameron

 

I find the best wholesale to be the sweet little old ladies and their church rummage sales, find estate auction services in your area, as them to give you a heads up when they handle an estate with clothing.. its a lot of work, but its half the fun!

 

I'm familiar with "The Attic". Personally, I think they're over-priced (in the actual store) & I don't know that I'd buy sight unseen from them. I've heard complaints about their customer service, but have never dealt with them 1st hand.

Maybe I'll take a peek at the website...

 

okay - I went. I saw. All their photos are from 1998.

I think if you want to deal with them you should either call them or go there if possible.

Good Luck!

Oh & <font color=teal>here's</font> the Google search for "wholesale vintage".

 

Thanks for all the great info. I will probably stear clear of the Attic for wholesale. Anyone heard of Dust Factory? They seem to be well orgainized on what they offer for wholesale. I'll try looking into some Estate Sales as well.

 

Estate Sales, Thrift Stores, (if you can take the time for an all-out hunt), rummage sales, etc. Also, try any B&M vintage shoppes in your area. Sometimes they have stuff the'll sell for lack of space in their own stores.

 

Get a business card made up - wear vintage and when they compliment you, hand them the card. You could advertise that you buy vintage. Put up posters. I'm rural too and an estate sale around here means a nice selection of wrenches. !!! But I would certainly get in line if I lived in a "better" neighborhood. I've also had good luck at home auctions - but that's chancy.

VFG members are a terrific lot, but I imagine if they have one favorite source for vintage clothing they would hesitate to share.

 

I second the business card idea~

I try to carry a supply and if someone seems enthused or more than a little interested I give them several - then they can pass one on if they choose.

 

Kameron
I'm also in a rather rural area of Missouri. Where are you?

 

Great advice. Business cards would be easy. I'm a graphic designer! I have a free-lance side business called Plush Design. I want to try something new. I can understand that seasoned vintage store owners would not want to give secrets away. I was just hoping to find a better source. You never know, doesn't hurt to ask. I started checking into local auctions. There is one this weekend. I wish I still lived in L.A. Thanks for all the advice. Kameron

 

Hi Hatfeathers!! I live in Warsaw MO on the lake. I like to travel so I'm in Kansas City a lot to visit. I was just there last weekend shopping for vintage. I have friends in Springfield and St. Louis. I usually do not get over to St. Louis much. Where are you? Kameron

 

What are you, my freaking doppelganger!? My other business is freelance graphics, too! We do get a lot of artsy folk on the VFG, it goes along with the theme of old clothing and design, I guess.
I'm in Moberly, a bit north of the center point on I70.

 

>> "Get a business card made up."

amanda is right! :D

you can get free (+S&H) at vistaprint.com.

They have cool templates & I've always been very happy with their customer svc.

 

oops.

missed the part about you being a graphic designer, Kameron.

 

Hi Everyone,
Yah I will get some BC's made soon. I want to get my site up and going first. We have a little bit done. Should have most of it done this weekend.

Hatfeathers, you are not that far. So neat, you design as well. I do mostly print design. I never got in depth into the site design. I like it though. What is your web site that promotes you design? I'd love to take a peek. I have a small portfolio at ovpinc.com. I work in house for a mfg. company and then do my fee-lance on the side. I haven't been promoting that as much lately. Anyway I'm so excited about the vintage thing. My husband never see's me because I'm always on the internet looking at vintage or out trying to find vintage. I'm looking for good resources to buy vintage in MO if you don't mind sharing. I looked at your vintage site, very nice!! I suppose you designed it all yourself?

 

We've not had time to do a site for the design yet, so busy with print jobs and such. Funny how that works!
I did do my site, from code to design. Selling on site went live this summer. I work from 9:30am to 11:00 pm with a few breaks in between, pretty much every day. That's about what it takes to be self employed and run two businesses. So I hope you love what you do as much as I do, because if you don't it will kick your tush fast!

When I first moved to where I am now, back to my hometown from living in a big city, I had to market myself hard to get some contacts. City buying is easy with thrifts and estate sales, auctions and such. Small town buying has to be done by word of mouth, advert and flyers. You have to be ready to pounce when opportunity comes, you have to buy smart (not all old stuff is good stuff) and you have to keep organized.

If you really think you want to run a store, try selling online first, or perhaps in a booth space in an antique mall. Get the rough patches out of the way first, hone your skills at dating and finding good merch. A store takes a whole lot of work and dedication, and will eat your life up whole. Not that it's not a good idea, but be prepared. If you are in a rural area like I am, your storefront may be cheap, but you'll likely have to have it 90% supported by online sales and/or your graphics.

 

Thanks for the great advice. I still have so much to learn. Yah I planned on only having an online business. If I open a store in Warsaw it will be far into the future and I would sell new retail. Warsaw has no place to shop and I've talked to young and middle aged who would love to see a store sell new clothes.

I love vintage and I'm very excited to start this business. How do people like emailing you to buy? Will you be putting in a shopping cart someday? I will eventually do that but not to start out. Thanks again for all the info.

Thats so great that your design business does so well. How did you gain so many print clients? Did you design all the print jobs or are you sending them out for someone? Sorry to get off the vintage subject.

 

Kameron -- trust me, you ain't missing much by no longer being in the LA area! The whole area is SO oversaturated with vintage clothing (or pretty much vintage ANYTHING) dealers. I've been doing this for many, many years and so many of my sources have dried up -- Thrifts almost NEVER have vintage (except for stained, overpriced polyester), auctions never carry clothes, estate sales are mined before you can get in and the public lines up at 4am. By the time I get there, I'm the 100th person through the door and nothing's left but 80's grandma clothes.
So don't worry -- y'ain't missin' much! You probably have BETTER chances find good vintage out there in the middle of nowhere! ;)