IDEAS Vintage Market ® offers unique items and opportunities to the Sewickley area.
By Nicole Tafe
When Judith Minegar travels she finds inspiration in visiting local antique stores.“ I love looking into their windows and seeing unique items,” says Minegar. Her inspiration has since led the North Hills native to open a shop of her own: IDEAS Vintage Market ®. She chose the name because it is designed to give customers creative ideas on what to do with things they own.
The idea of the shop, which opened in September 2013, is patterned after a Parisian flea market.“ Our customers often say they feel as though they’ ve been transported to the streets of Paris, which we never tire of hearing,” says Minegar. She and her staff work diligently to reinvent the shop often and make creating vignettes a priority, giving customers something new to look forward to each time they visit.
Variety has been the key to the store’ s success.“ We pride ourselves on choosing items that appeal to different demographics,” Minegar notes.“ We follow trends, but not unconditionally, and we are keen to design rules but try not to be inhibited by them.” She and the staff have spent the past two years coveting a style of their own, and are not afraid to take risks when choosing items.“ We like to keep customers guessing!” Minegar says.
IDEAS Vintage Market ® works with vendors across the globe, but also as close as the backyards of Pittsburgh. Some of the vendors have large-scale operations, while others produce their wares in a garage that doubles as a workshop.“ We love the opportunity to offer American-made goods, but also enjoy the chance to show customers other options including Nordic living through imported magazines,” explains Minegar.“ I mix in my own handpicked treasures with unique clothing, jewelry and home decor, but everything we offer has a sense of beauty, nostalgia and even whimsy!”
Customers are also welcome to bring in gently used, vintage or repurposed items to the shop for consignment. The standard consignment agreement is 30 days with a 50 / 50 split.
In addition to antiques and collectibles, IDEAS Vintage Market ® stocks helpful DIY products like Chalk Paint ® by Annie Sloan, a product Minegar proudly stands behind.“ Our focus is to offer continuous education and advice to customers, meaning the exchange does not end once a product is purchased. Instead, we are always available,” she says.“ We view our store as a community of creative people because of our relationships with our customers and students.”
There are a variety of educational classes for those interested in learning about refinishing and design. The store offers daily Chalk
Paint ® by Annie Sloan workshops that are geared toward novices and experienced painters alike. Standard class offerings include Chalk Paint Bring Your Own Piece, Chalk Paint 101 and 102, and Chalk Paint Kitchen Cabinet Facelift. Minegar and her staff also work directly with students to develop workshops that best suit their needs.
“ The tagline Repurpose, Redesign, Rediscover ® reflects the heart of the business,” says Minegar.“ We find discarded things that can be repurposed or redesigned, and rediscover ways to use and enjoy them for years to come.”
She cites innumerable benefits to repurposing items.“ We love being part of a movement that reduces waste and has a positive impact on the environment,” she says. Aside from environmental concerns, there are a myriad of reasons people choose to repurpose old items— not the least of which is aesthetic. Whether it’ s a cost-saving alternative or a thoughtful design decision, it’ s easy to see the appeal.
“ Our favorite things to repurpose are items that no longer serve a purpose and may have otherwise been cast aside if it weren’ t for their newfound uses,” says Minegar.“ Although it may be difficult to constantly change décor in your home, our shop acts as an everevolving canvas, which gives us ample opportunities to repurpose.”
When she returned to her Pittsburgh roots, Minegar looked hard to find a place that would help her reconnect with her past and also act as a stepping-stone to the future. Sewickley offered an unparalleled sense of community.“ Sewickley has a charm that I’ ve always gravitated toward, and I sensed that it was ready for a business like mine— so I took the plunge and never looked back,” she says.
“ I truly believe that my store is part of the larger shared goal that ensures Sewickley remains a destination for many years to come. Residents contribute with their patronage and our shop helps to draw people from all over, as evidenced by our guest book which boasts zip codes stretching across the world!”
IDEAS Vintage Market ® is located at 352 Beaver Street in Sewickley. For more information, visit ideasvintagemarket. com. n
Photos by Rusted Sol
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