Meet Your Neighbor: Lola's Vintage Lakehouse opens in Port Clinton

Sheri Trusty
·3 min read
Mother-daughter team Chastity Shank and Kim Smith opened Lola’s Vintage Lakehouse as a way to turn their passion for vintage shopping into a business.
Mother-daughter team Chastity Shank and Kim Smith opened Lola’s Vintage Lakehouse as a way to turn their passion for vintage shopping into a business.

PORT CLINTON - Amongst the thousands of pieces of vintage, antique and new merchandise at Lola’s Vintage Lakehouse is a tall Pulaski curio cabinet with intricately carved designs in the wood. It is a favorite piece of owners Lisa Smith and her daughter, Chastity Shank, who recently opened the shop.

“The detail in the wood is incredible,” Smith said.

When the cabinet arrived at Lola’s, they were surprised to learn it was built by the reputable Pulaski Veneer and Furniture Company, which was formed in 1955 and is well-known for its high-quality, vintage-style cabinets. Learning the history of the pieces in their shop has been part of the fun of opening Lola’s.

“We have a few ways to counter-reference and research,” Shank said. “We have a couple of antique ladies who help us with pricing, and we cross-reference to figure out what stuff is.”

Mother-daughter team turned hobby into store

Smith and Shank have made a hobby of antique shopping for years. When the chance to open the store emerged, they realized it was a way to turn their hobby into a business and spend more time together at the same time.

The Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting at Lola’s Vintage Lakehouse on Dec. 16. Standing with the ribbon are, left to right, Ottawa County Commissioner Mark Coppeler, Chamber Board Member Amber Schierberg, Lola’s co-owner Lisa Smith, Lola’s co-owner Chastity Shank, Kim Smith and Port Clinton Mayor Mike Snider.
The Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting at Lola’s Vintage Lakehouse on Dec. 16. Standing with the ribbon are, left to right, Ottawa County Commissioner Mark Coppeler, Chamber Board Member Amber Schierberg, Lola’s co-owner Lisa Smith, Lola’s co-owner Chastity Shank, Kim Smith and Port Clinton Mayor Mike Snider.

“We talked 20 times a day but didn’t get to see each other much because I live in Toledo. I’m busy — I’ve been a massage therapist for 22 years and have four children, and this lets me get close to home,” Shank said.

In addition to their own merchandise, several consignment vendors added their own items, and now the 5,000-square-foot shop is packed with everything from clothes and furniture to art and home décor.

“We have one consigner who worked at the U.S. Embassy and traveled all over the world. She’d pick up stuff on her travels,” Shank said. “She stumbled upon us by accident, and we invited her to sell her stuff here. Her mother owned an antique store, so she has all this knowledge.”

Smith, Shank use knowledge, research on unique pieces

Adding to their own knowledge is a daily quest for Smith and Shank. When a piece piques their curiosity, they start researching.

“We have this print of Audrey Hepburn. I knew her name, but I didn’t know who she was or anything about her," Smith said.

Through her research, Smith learned of Hepburn’s colorful life, which included not only her acclaimed movie career but also her successful efforts to aid the Dutch resistance during World War II. Over and over again, Smith has been amazed by the stories she has uncovered about the items in her shop.

“This makes you stop and appreciate these beautiful things,” Smith said. “It’s memories. It’s history. It’s so cool to uncover what things are.”

Among the items in their shop that Lisa Smith and Chastity Shank researched were this Pulaski curio cabinet and this print of Audrey Hepburn.
Among the items in their shop that Lisa Smith and Chastity Shank researched were this Pulaski curio cabinet and this print of Audrey Hepburn.

The Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting at Lola’s Vintage Lakehouse on Dec. 16. The event was attended by Chamber Board Member Amber Schierberg, Ottawa County Commissioner Mark Coppeler, and Port Clinton Mayor Mark Snider.

“I’ve walked around the shop several times, and I’ve seen new things every time,” Snider said.

Lola’s Vintage Lakehouse is at 212 Buckeye St. in front of Port Clinton Auto Repair, which is owned by Smith and her husband, Kim Smith. For more information, visit the Lola’s Vintage Lakehouse Facebook page.

Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Meet Your Neighbor: Lola's Vintage Lakehouse opens in Port Clinton