Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Hunters Alley...A New Online Marketplace For Vintage

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The founders of One Kings Lane have launched a new website for vintage product called Hunters Alley.

Hunters Alley is being touted as a "peer-to-peer" marketplace with literally hundreds and hundreds of items from sellers around the country.  A great way to see tons of unique items from the convenience of your laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

To hunt for specific items there are category options as well as a keyword search function.  There are going to be new listings daily so you will want to check the site out frequently!  You can also take a quick look through some of of the editorial features and product offerings.

A fun new site to add to your online shopping repetoire!

You can view the retroda listings on Hunters Alley here and on One Kings Lane here.  Happy Hunting!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Vintage-Themed Video by Imagine Dragons

The latest video from the white-hot Imagine Dragons pokes some fun at the conspiracy theorists who say the Apollo moon landings from 1969-1972 were a filmed hoax by NASA.  Lots of vintage eye-candy - clothing, home decor, automobiles, and of course, hairstyles!  Fun song with a fun video - check it out!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

MixxCentury.com - retroda in the Dealer Spotlight

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This week's dealer spotlight at MixxCentury.com features retroda! There is a brief Q&A/interview and links to some of the items I currently have up for sale on the site.  Thanks to site founders Dawn and Holly for the write-up!  Here's a link:

Thursday, September 12, 2013

MixxCentury.com - A New Website For Antique & Vintage Hunters


retroda has been selected as a founding dealer on the new website MixxCentury.com.  The site features a curated assortment of antique and vintage items up for sale, including some limited-time "flash sale" events. And the only new product you'll find here is something "new to you"!

Add together some passionate founders and some enthusiatic dealers and you get an amazing offering of antique and vintage product.  Things will get snapped up quickly and there will always be more great items coming through the pipeline...so you'll want to check out the site regularly - make it part of your morning routine!

You can see the retroda storefront by clicking on Dealer Gallery at the bottom of the homepage, then clicking on the retroda logo. Or click here to check it out now. Jump on in and MIXX IT UP!

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Hot Off The Press...Flea Market Finds Magazine!

Several months ago, I was shadowed by a writer while I shopped at the Long Beach Antique & Flea Market.  We spent several hours together talking about my business while hunting for treasure. The result?  A feature article about me in this special edition "bookazine", Flea Market Finds.  It is just hitting newsstands now and should be available through mid-September.

Featuring a multitude of great articles about shopping at flea markets, insider tips, projects, and of course, several different stories on dealers in the industry.  The writer of most of the articles is Bonnie McCarthy, a contributor to the Huffington Post blog as well as her own blog, This American Home.  It's quite the compendium on the subject of flea markets and a handy guide to keep for future reference.

In this digital age, sometimes it's still nice to get the tactile feel and glossy finish of a magazine.  An iPad or digital reader can't give you that.  Go pick up a copy at your local newsstand and support a small business!


Friday, July 5, 2013

Meeting David Weidman, Mid-Century Artist


I have vivid memories of watching Fractured Fairy Tales, the cartoons that ran between episodes of The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show.  I can recall the narrator's voice well but really remember the distinctive art style and more sophisticated humor of these cartoons. 



A couple of months ago I had the opportunity to meet David Weidman, a celebrated Mid-Century artist.  David is perhaps best known for his work in animation, most notably Fractured Fairy Tales and Mr. Magoo.  His work is often described as whimsical and reflects a now iconic and timeless style.  Check out Mad Men to see some of his work!





Inretrospect, on famed "Retro Row" in Long Beach, has quite a large cache of David's work for sale and hosted an event showcasing pieces from the Weidman family archives. 
David began screen-printing his work based on the suggestion by his wife, Dorothy, and the rest is history.  All of the original screens used to produce his prints have been destroyed so there is a definite limited supply of his work remaining.  You can see some of them on his website.



I had acquired one of his "Grey Owl" prints at an estate sale.  I took it to the appearance and asked him to tell me about it.  He briefly looked at it and then inspected the way it was framed.  I was ready to defend myself and say I had bought it that way when he told me he had personally framed the print himself in his workshop.  What a memory he has at 92!  The print is not numbered and he told me it was a very early print from before his family had him start numbering his work.  I loved the print when I bought it, but getting the chance to speak with him about it makes me cherish it even more.  I had him sign the back of it and told him it would be hanging in my daughter's room.

It was an amazing experience and one I will not forget!


Saturday, April 27, 2013

Time flies when you're having fun...


The past year does in fact seem to have passed by in a blur for retroda!  So much has happened, is happening right now, and will be happening in the very near future.  I hope all of that grammar is correct!

Here's a brief recap of what's going on with retroda:

Long Beach Antique Mall II - still running my business at this store as it continues to develop and build a customer base. Lots of new dealers have moved in and there's always something new to see.

inretrospect - This store's popularity continues to grow.  Lots of publicity from magazine and newspaper articles, as well as some amazing special events hosted by the owners.  I am currently working on a major expansion at this store - stay tuned for a location update coming soon!

Warehouse 1333 - Last year I opened a "shop within a shop" at this store in Long Beach.  The store features an eclectic mix of product and sells a lot of furniture.  I have mixed an assortment of Mid-Century goods, plus industrial/salvage and vintage office items including tanker desks, file cabinets, and other accessories.

Orange Avenue Estate, Salvage, & Garden - As of last Fall I no longer have a dealer space in this store.

One Kings Lane - A successful launch on the One Kings Lane website forced a quick learning curve on running a vintage e-commerce business!  Photographing products, listing them for sale, staying in-stock with shipping boxes and packing supplies, and packing and shipping orders have added new tasks to the daily workload.  Busy = success.  Bring it on!

Long Beach Antique/Flea Market - retroda is no longer selling at the show, but you might see us shopping the aisles now. Watch for the overflowing carts headed to the parking lot!

That's a wrap.  Will try my best not to "fall off the wagon" again, especially since its a vintage Radio Flyer!