Hartville's Modern Vintage: Almost 10 years of selling unique, vintage and handmade finds

Opened in November 2012, Hartville consignment shop Modern Vintage has an interesting business model which features multiple artists sharing the space and duties. Read on for a Q&A with owner Tara Wiederman.

Q. Can you tell me a little bit about how the shop works, with artists sharing space and duties?

A. “Since the beginning, our business model has been to have six artists/collectors share the shop with their things. They each work the shop one day per week, and we are open six days (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday). On their day, they stock their room with all the things that they painted, created or collected over the week and post these items on social media (@trwmodernvintage on Instagram and Facebook). They take care of customers in the shop, man the social media pages and rearrange after sales. We communicate daily and have systems in place to keep the shop running smoothly as we hand off the baton each day.”

Q. Can you tell me a little more about the artists and what they have to offer?

A. “Now that we have moved to our larger and permanent home, we have grown to 10 artists/collectors, six of which run the shop as always and four have a different arrangement, but everyone has their own dedicated space that they maintain weekly. We have very low turnover, and three of us (including me) have been here since day one.

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“Our shop is highly curated. Every inch is thought out and displayed with purpose. Although the shop as a whole is eclectic, it flows so nicely, and we are proud to offer an inviting and pleasant shopping experience.”

Hartville's Modern Vintage has 10 artists/collectors.

• Amy of Ivey and Birch (works Mondays) has been part of the shop since opening day. Her room is a neutral palette of rustic elegance, which includes furniture, home décor, floral arrangements and pretty dishes!

• Brielle of Little Thimble Thrift and Vintage (works Tuesdays) is our newest “in-house/working” gal. She joined us at our grand opening of the new building in June 2021 as a vendor and later became an in-house artist/collector. Her room is a treasure trove of funky lamps, mid-century modern chairs, vintage and on-trend clothing and all things brass. She’s also extended some shelf space to display handmade pieces by her mom, Pam, and grandma, “Nanny.”

• Jen of The Pepper and White Vintage Co. (works Wednesdays) has been with Modern Vintage since October 2020 and brings to the table some seriously bold and eclectic pop art, original vintage paintings and natural wood furniture. She also brings her 5-year-old son, Audie, along while sourcing so that he can learn the ins and outs of this business by offering “Audie’s Collection,” which consists of vintage wooden toys, bears, board puzzles and other nostalgia.

• Megan of Heartland Charm (works Thursdays) has been with us a little over three years and offers furniture, home décor, handmade jewelry and altered T-shirts, plus her original whimsical paintings featuring farm animals, churches and barns.

• Ellie of Frog Goes to Market (works Fridays) is going on five years with Modern Vintage and expertly displays a beautiful collection of antique ironstone, French copper and vintage European finds for the kitchen and garden.

• Tara (me, I am Modern Vintage and work Saturdays) (I’ve been here since) day one, obviously ... thankful to have found the perfect combination of talent to join forces and run a wonderful and enjoyable business. I specialize in skillfully and professionally painted and refinished high-quality vintage furniture. It ranges from sleek black to a bold sunset and every color in between.

• Lesley has also been part of Modern Vintage since day one. She was an in-house artist for many years and switched to a vendor position last year after we moved. She has an industrial-meets-boho vibe with her antique pieces and painted vintage furniture

• Tracey of Hidden Vintage Studio became a friend of the shop early on and was our one and only consignor for years until we moved, allowing her to have her own space. She scouts very unusual estate sale finds, plus original and revamped art featuring her “Monsters Reimagined” series.

• Susan of Susie Kays joined us at the new building in June 2021 and focuses on vintage jewelry, plus her one-of-a-kind jewelry and art designs that incorporate vintage bits and pieces. Colorful, playful and unique.

• Bob and Dena of Black Door Decor also joined us in June 2021 and specialize in original antique furniture, mainly circa 1890s to 1930s. Always a nice selection of oak buffets, bookcases, step-back cupboards, spools cabinets, etc.

Q. Anything else you want About readers to know about the store?

A. Our biggest news is the recent renovation and move into our new building in June 2021. I purchased the Hartville Meat Locker at auction in March 2019 and spent the next two years plotting and planning and finally completing an overhaul of the building inside and out. We moved into it and opened in June 2021 and are thrilled with our new space. It is big and bright and airy, and we love it. In addition to Modern Vintage, our new building had room for our neighbor, Michael (who is also my cousin) of Coletti Interiors to open up his showroom featuring fine vintage furniture and freshly upholstered pieces.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Hartville's Modern Vintage offers unique, vintage and handmade finds