Press

“It was a visit to Vintage Garage Chicago that sold me,” says Colby, who is enjoying an expanding role in the show on History. “I thought this is where the business needs to go, and these are the people who can help take it there.”

Since then Colby joined the team at the Grand Rapids Antiques Market in January and later that month at Fashion and Flea in Grapevine, Texas where the idea began to form for launching a new venture.

“Danielle is the perfect spokesperson for the new company,” explains Melissa Sands of Vintage Promotions. “She’s young, smart and talented and she knows her vintage and antiques.”

One-third owned by Colby, Sands says her role will extend beyond spokesperson.

“Danielle definitely has her own ideas and the show will be the result of a solid partnership with Vintage Promotions,” Sands says.

The new company will be called American Vintage Market, LLC. More information on the show is available at AmericanVintageMarket.com

About Danielle Colby
American Pickers premiered on History, formerly known as the History Channel, on January 18, 2010. As of September 8, 2010, it was the #1 new fiction series of 2010 among total viewers and adults 25-54. The show is in its 6th successful season of filming and Colby’s part is growing rapidly. Wolfe asked Colby to work at the office of the antique shop, Antique Archaeology, because he “wanted someone that did not look like they would work in any antique shop.” Colby’s also produces the Iowa Burlesque Festival, which will occur on in Davenport October 25. More information is available at DanielleColby.com.

About Vintage Promotions, LLC
Vintage Promotions, LLC is operated by Melissa Sands and Eric Miller. Melissa has decades of experience as a dealer in vintage merchandise and is an expert in vintage clothing and jewelry. Based in Dallas, Eric is engaged with the antiques and art world, has experience in formal antiques shows and is a well-known proponent of sustainable living. Vintage Promotions operates Vintage Garage Chicago, the Dallas Vintage Clothing and Jewelry Show, North Shore Flea and Texas Art Collector Show and Sale of Early Texas Art. More information is available at www.vintagepromotionsllc.com

###

Vintage Buyers Seek Out Local and Green, Survey Finds

CHICAGO (August 20, 2013)–A survey asking first-time visitors to Vintage Garage Chicago about their buying habits, preferences and experience finds that more care about whether objects are actually old, and dislike misuse of the word “vintage” to sell new objects. They also place a high value on shopping locally, supporting local businesses and in making green buys.

Vintage Garage Chicago is an flea market held monthly in a parking garage in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago.

With more than 150 respondents weighing in, 53 percent say they prefer items that are really old, with 47 percent indicating things that are “vintage-style” are also desirable. More than three quarters (77 percent) say it bothers them when retail stores use the word “vintage” to describe things that are not old while 11 percent said the word just describes how something looks.

Overwhelming numbers say that shopping locally and benefitting the local economy is important (95 percent) while 77 percent say being green in terms of shopping habits is important.

The survey also looked into how dedicated customers were to making vintage purchases. More than half (64 percent) say some of what they buy is vintage, while 23 percent say most of what they buy is vintage. More than half, 55 percent, collect things, while the rest buy only things they can use or wear. The reasons customers buy vintage vary, with 21 percent saying old things are made better, 17 percent because its good for the environment, 34 percent because they like it and 22 percent simply enjoying the atmosphere of vintage markets.

Also asked were questions about media, including use of vinyl records and turntables. Sixty five percent listen to music on old devices like radios and record players and fifty three percent say music on vinyl records sounds better. Nearly eighty percent listen to both new and old music and 77 percent use a streaming music service.

Thirty one percent of respondents were aged 21-30, 32 percent aged 31-40, and 20 percent 41-50. Fifty five percent rent their homes and the majority either walk or drove to the event.

About Vintage Promotions, LLC
Vintage Promotions, LLC is operated by Melissa Sands and Eric Miller. Melissa has decades of experience as a dealer in vintage merchandise and is an expert in vintage clothing and jewelry. Based in Dallas, Eric is engaged with the antiques and art world, has experience in formal antiques shows and is a well-known proponent of sustainable living. Vintage Promotions operates Vintage Garage Chicago, the Dallas Vintage Clothing and Jewelry Show, North Shore Flea and Texas Art Collector Show and Sale of Early Texas Art.

###

Promoters Say Millennials Will Remake Antiques World

CHICAGO (June 26, 2013)–Antiques Shows will grow to reflect the preferences of millennials, or perish, say promoters of Vintage Garage Chicago, the Grand Rapids Antiques Market, the Dallas Vintage Clothing and Jewelry Show and other events. Also known as Generation Y, millennials are generally considered those born between 1982 and 2000.  There are as many as 95 million millennials in the U.S. (compared to 77 million baby boomers).

“The baby boomers brought a lot of energy into the antiques world in the 1980s,” says Eric Miller of Vintage Promotions, LLC. “That same energy will return in the next decade as the youngest millennials move into homes and start families.

“But don’t expect them to pick up where the boomers left off,” Miller cautions. “They have their own interests and like what they like for their own reasons.”

While some Millennials do collect, Melissa Sands of Vintage Promotions says to a larger degree they are looking for things that are useable and wearable.

“They want things they can incorporate into their lives; things that are an expression of themselves and their personalities,” Sands says. “They also look to vintage for its local and sustainable qualities.”

While millennials are the first generation to grow up digital, they have affinities to old-word technologies. The recent resurgence of the vinyl record is credited to interest among millennials. Moreover a recent study found Americans under age 30 were more, not less likely than older adults to have read a printed book in the past year.

“They may not be buying furniture and glass yet, but there certainly is a solid interest in the old world,” Miller notes.

While the numbers of millennials show promise, there is some reason for caution in the immediate future. Millennials are staying single longer, living in smaller spaces or with relatives and sometimes foregoing driving. Plus recent economic times have been particularly hard on this generation.

“On one hand being single longer may provide more time for activities like antiques shopping, but small living spaces and lack of mobility (especially for purchased objects) presents other challenges,” Miller says. “Shows in accessible locations will have the best opportunities to reach these consumers.”

“The boom will start when the economic outlook for millennials improves and they move into larger spaces that better allow for the accumulation of vintage things.”

Currently, Miller says, millennials likely don’t often see antiques for their historical or artistic qualities. But window shopping is only so much fun.

“When they have the means, I suspect the interest will be right behind it,” Miller says.

About Vintage Promotions, LLC
Vintage Promotions, LLC is operated by Melissa Sands and Eric Miller. Melissa has decades of experience as a dealer in vintage merchandise and is an expert in vintage clothing and jewelry. Based in Dallas, Eric is engaged with the antiques and art world, has experience in formal antiques shows and is a well-known proponent of sustainable living. In addition to the North Shore Flea, Vintage Promotions operates Vintage Garage Chicago, the Dallas Vintage Clothing and Jewelry Show and Texas Art Collector Show and Sale of Early Texas Art.

###

Vintage Promotions, LLC Announces Purchase of Grand Rapids Antiques Market

GRAND RAPIDS, MI–Vintage Promotions, LLC, the producers of the Dallas Vintage Clothing and Jewelry Show, Vintage Garage Chicago and other events today announced the purchase of Vintage Life Expo, also known as the Grand Rapids Antiques Market.

Cecily Near, who produces and manages the show has agreed to continue her involvement in the shows planning and production.

“This event is an ideal complement to our existing line-up,” says Melissa Sands of Vintage Promotions, LLC. “It’s established, yet energetic with a broad customer base and solid track record.”

Cecily Near says the success of the event has been a crowning achievement, but reached the point where continuing growth required the additional resources Vintage Promotions, LLC can offer.

“At a time of contraction in the industry, this show has only become more successful,” Near says. “I really needed a partner who knew the ingredients required for success of a 21st Century production. I am certain Melissa Sands and Eric Miller fit the bill and that the show will continue to grow and thrive.”

First held in 2007, the 2014 Vintage Life Expo, will be held in conjunction with the Grand Rapids Old House Expo January 4-5, 2014 at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids.

About Vintage Promotions, LLC
Vintage Promotions, LLC is operated by Melissa Sands and Eric Miller. Melissa has decades of experience as a dealer in vintage merchandise and is an expert in vintage clothing and jewelry. Based in Dallas, Eric is engaged with the antiques and art world, has experience in formal antiques shows and is a well-known proponent of sustainable living. In addition to the North Shore Flea, Vintage Promotions operates Vintage Garage Chicago, the Dallas Vintage Clothing and Jewelry Show and Texas Art Collector Show and Sale of Early Texas Art.

###