Mark Your Calendars!

We'd love to see you there--selling or buying!  

It's going to be lots of fun!

What Does It Take?

Have you ever been looking around in one of the awesome booths at YesterNook (and let's face it--they're all awesome), and started thinking:  "Hey!  I bet I could do this, too.  I wonder what it takes to get started?"

Well, to begin with, it takes more than just having some extra stuff in your house that you want to get rid of.  That's really just the beginning.  Getting a spot and moving your extra items will get you started, but if you're going to be successful, then you've got to be ready to do more than that.  In general, the folks who move their first load in and then sit back and wait for it to sell are the least successful.

YesterNook owner Patti Cape and manager Sharron Smiley have over thirty years experience in this business between them.  Patti has said that she has had a booth at "just about every place in town" at one time or another.  They can both testify to the skills and knowledge that develop over time as one gets into the business.

You can start out with your own excess items--many do--but what are you going to do when those items start selling?  One of the first things you have to realize is that your booth is almost a living creature.  It will change and evolve.  Things will sell and they need to be replaced.  It needs to be tended to regularly.

Have you ever noticed how the booths at YesterNook always seem to be fresh and different?  That's because the vendors are always working at them, keeping them clean and bringing in new items.  They understand that customers want to see an evolving selection.  This understanding is one of the first things it takes to run a booth.

The next would be planning.  Eventually, you will run out of your own items at home.  What will you do then?  Where and how will you get fresh stock?  Will you have the time and other resources to do this?  Are you physically able?  These are all important considerations.  Many of our vendors have other jobs and responsibilities, but they've all made the commitment to making their booths the best they can be.

Are you willing to learn and ask questions about things?  Patti and Sharron are great resources and have a lot of knowledge on many topics.  They didn't start out that way, however.  They learned from others and asked lots of questions along the way.  Internet research skills can also help you gain new knowledge.

Do you have a support system?  Many of our vendors have family members or friends that can help out when needed.  Sometimes an extra pair of hands to carry is essential.  Other vendors go in with a friend on their space and split the responsibilities.  Do you know someone that might be interested in joining you?

Starting a new endeavor takes patience.  It will take a little while for customers to learn about you and what you have to offer in your space.  If you just keep working at it and keep your area neat and stocked, it will eventually take off.

A short piece like this can only scratch the surface of a topic as broad as preparing yourself to rent a booth, but these are some of the most important things to think about. If you do have an interest in pursuing a space at YesterNook, stop by the store and talk to Patti.  The store stays largely rented out, but booths do become available.  Talk with her about what you would like to do and then see about getting on a waiting list, if need be.  She'll point you in the right direction.

Of course, you don't have to rent a booth to sell things at YesterNook.  On Saturday, June 8, we'll be having our outdoor sale in the parking lot.  Spaces are available for the day for just $5.  This would be a great way to get rid of some items, without the long-term commitment of a booth rental!  Call the store at (502) 690-4572 to sign up for a space.  Rain date will be June 15.

As always, we love to see you in the store any time!  You don't have to be thinking about a booth to stop by and check things out!  The weather is getting nicer, so stop by and say "Hi!"  We love to see our friends.

Finding Out About Fenton

Once again, we're going to refer you to the YesterNook Facebook page.  Yesterday some awesome pics of a newly-arrived batch of Fenton glassware were posted there.  You owe it to yourself to check it out.  Some of the pieces are beautiful.

Fenton Art Glass Company dates to 1905, when it was founded by brothers Frank and John Fenton.  While the company is primarily known for art glass and decorative pieces, during the Depression and WWII, the company also manufactured practical items, such as tableware.   Their very popular line of hobnail milk glass dates to this period as well.  Another popular style of Fenton is their iridescent glassware, sometimes called "Carnival Glass."

Fenton glass is popular with collectors for its quality and beauty.  YesterNook manager, Sharron Smiley, says that "Fenton is like nothing else in glass."  She has been selling glassware for a long time and is every knowledgeable on the subject.

Sadly, the company ceased its traditional glass-making operations in 2011.  The company was known for its innovative techniques in glass-making and coloring, which is another reason for its huge appeal to collectors.  Come and check out some of the pieces we have in the store and you'll see what we mean.

At YesterNook prices, these won't last long, so if you're at all interested, you might want to head down and check them out.  If you are still looking for a unique Mother's Day gift, think of how she'd feel about one of these beauties!

On Mothers

Some mothers like barkcloth,
while others like tweed.
Still others think dusty primitives
are just what they need.

Mamas might prefer vintage, eclectic, or odd.
They might even be funky or groovy.
It might be that a train case is what they'd most like,
or a poster from some classic movie.

Moms can also be DIY types,
digging through old garages to find rusty pipes.
Give them an old desk to paint and distress,
and they'll love it better than some fancy dress.

There are some mothers who are all of the above,
while others might be none.
YesterNook has the most perfect gift for each,
no matter which one.

Here in our booths,
you'll find treasures to delight
any mom on your list.
Just look up, down, left and right.

Just in case you can't tell
the kind of mother you've got,
or if picking out gifts
puts you in a tight spot,

Then please do remember:
We're at your beck and call,
with YesterNook Gift Certificates--
One Size Fits All!



YesterNook would like to remind all of our friends that we will be open our regular Sunday hours on Mother's Day:  12:00 to 5:00 p.m.  Feel free to bring Mom by to say hello!

May News

We've got a couple more quick announcements to share with you all, then we'll let you get back to your Derby week festivities.  Speaking of the derby, YesterNook will close at 2 p.m. on Derby Day, which is this Saturday, in case it's slipped your mind.  That will give you plenty of time to do some quick vintage shopping in the morning and still get home for your Derby party that afternoon.

If you've ever thought about having a booth in a store like YesterNook, this could be your chance.  There is a booth coming available on May 1.  The space is located upstairs in that large room called Mayne's Ballroom, and the rent is $100 a month.  To see the space or get more information, stop by the store during regular business hours, call, or email.  But do it soon!  Spaces at yesterNook don't stay open for long!

Mark you calendars now for the next YesterNook special event!

June 8, 2013

8:00 am to 4:00 pm

YesterNook Outdoor Sale

(Rain Date June 15)

Spaces are available for this event, if you would like to sell something.  The rental fee is $5 for the day.  Call the store to reserve a spot or to get more information.  The number is listed above in the blog description.

That's all the news for this month!  Please have a safe and happy Derby!  If you win big at the track, don't forget to pay us a visit afterwards to celebrate!

News, Notes, Updates and Thoughts

We've got a lot to share with you all this time around, so let's get started!

First off, we have a new mantle display in the store front lobby.

Don't you love the horseshoes?  How appropriate for Derbytime!  As usual, the items in the display are for sale.  The mantle itself, however, is not.

While we're talking about decor and beautification, Yesternook (along with other area businesses) were gifted with lovely flowerpots and flowers in front of the store, courtesy of our friends in the Schnitzelburg Area Community Council and Go Green Germantown.  Thanks, friends!  Keep stopping by the store to see how they grown and fill out the pots.

Over the weekend, the Kentucky Derby Festival began with the lights, planes and noise of Thunder Over Louisville.  From now until the first Saturday in May, there will be events and happenings all over town.  It will be a great time of celebrating Louisville, the Kentucky Derby, and our shared history.  We hope that all of our friends will have a happy and safe Derbytime.

Please remember to keep supporting YesterNook and other local small businesses during this time.  Stop in the store and see if we can help you with any of your Derby festivity needs.  Do you need a Derby hat?

Or maybe you want to have a retro-themed Derby Party and need some cool aluminum folding lawn chairs?

You never know what you can find at YesterNook!

After Derby comes Mother's Day and, close after that, graduations!  You can always find a unique gift for Mom, Grandma, or anyone else in the booths at YesterNook.  If you have young family members moving out for school, remember that we have a wide variety of furniture at very reasonable prices.  YesterNook has helped many people furnish their first apartments.

Finally, if you enjoyed last week's blog and would like to see the pictures that inspired the story up close, here's where you can find them:

• Gussie and Bertie are in Booth 62, upstairs
• Coraline is hanging in the front stairway, right before you get to the second floor
• Earl and Dorcas are in Booth 89, downstairs

 Don't forget to keep checking the YesterNook Facebook page.  Several vendors are having sales right now, and you can get all the details there!

This is the Story of Gussie and Bertie

When you go into a store like YesterNook, you almost always find something of a personal nature tucked away in one of the booths.  It may be a yearbook or a scrapbook.  Sometimes, it's old medals and awards.  Most often, it's photographs. 

Photographs are fascinating, especially when there are people in them.  Those people were real.  They lived and breathed.  They worked and played.  They were someone's parent or grandparent.  They had a history that is totally hidden to us as we look at them now, hanging in a vintage shop.

What happened?  Was there no one to take these memories after them?  What were these lost histories.  Who were these people?

In an effort to bring some of these folks back to life, we'd like to present the following story.  We know it's not the real life story of these people, but it reminds us just a little of the reality of their lives.

----------

Gussie and Bertie weren’t really our aunts.  In fact, they weren’t anyone’s aunts.  Folks just got used to seeing them as the town’s maiden aunties, since they seemed to be everywhere and do everything.   From the mayor to the pastor to the undertaker, we all called them “Aunt Gussie and Aunt Bertie.”

"Aunt" Gussie

Now, I came closer than most people to having them as aunts.  In a way, they kind of were my aunts, just not by blood.  Their older brother Earl married Granny’s sister Dorcas a couple of years after she was widowed when the tobacco barn fell on Uncle Cleve.  That made Earl an uncle by marriage, which sort of made his sisters aunts by extension, or something like that.

Gussie and Bertie were as close as two sisters could be.  You rarely saw one of them without the other.  They did all their shopping together.  They worked in the garden together.  They cleaned the house together.  They went visiting together.  They both sang in the church choir.  They were nigh on inseparable, best of friends as well as sisters.

But it wasn’t always that way.  They had a terrible spat in their younger days and ended up not speaking to each other for over twelve years.  Seems they had both taken a shine to a horse trader who passed through town from time to time.  His name was Rufus, and he was a right fine looking fellow, if a little shifty.  He took to wooing and courting both Gussie and Bertie, without ever giving either of them any clue as to which way his affections really lay.

"Aunt" Bertie

It wasn’t long before they took to squabbling with each other something fierce.  From there, things escalated to dirty tricks.  Gussie locked Bertie in the cellar one time when Rufus came to call.  Bertie retaliated by pouring syrup all over her sisters hair right before Rufus called the next time.  Their mama, Esterline, was at her wits’ end with the two of them and was about to forbid both of them from ever even mentioning his name again when the unthinkable happened.

Rufus left town with Coraline, Gussie and Bertie’s much younger sister.  Turns out he’d been using their squabble as a distraction so he could court Coraline on the side, knowing full well that Esterline would not approve of her youngest daughter being wooed by such a scoundrel.  The whole town was shocked.  Esterline was devastated.  And Gussie and Bertie kept right on fighting.  Each one blamed the other for Rufus’ betrayal, convinced the Rufus would have never made eyes with Coraline, if there had only been one older sister to court.

Eventually, they stopped speaking to each other.  At all.  Not one word.  They would talk to Earl and Esterline, but not to each other.  There was nothing anyone could do to get them to even acknowledge each other’s presence, much less try to patch things up.  Earl married his first wife Bessamine and moved out, leaving Esterline stuck at home with her uncommunicative daughters.

The strain was too much for Esterline, who began having hysterical fits.  Eventually her health totally broke, leaving her confined to bed.  She began to waste away, unable to eat.  Finally, she passed away crying for Coraline and begging her remaining daughters to make peace with each other.

Coraline

Gussie and Bertie inherited the house and settled into a routine of ignoring each other that stretched on for years.  They cooked separately.  They ate separately.  When they sat together in the parlor, each one sat in a chair with the back turned to the other, staring into a corner like a naughty child on punishment.    No one in town dared to ask one of them about the other one for fear of the torrent of wrath that would be unleashed.  Folks began to talk about the “crazy sisters” who lived in the big house and “sat in the corners.”

They spent so much time and effort ignoring each other that each one convinced herself that her sister did not really exist.  The specter floating through the halls of the house was merely a fragment of a memory and nothing more.  Gussie and Bertie each existed in her own solitary world.  Until one night changed everything.

Bertie was in the kitchen washing her supper dish, when Gussie walked through.  All of a sudden, Gussie sneezed.  Bertie found herself caught in the grips of all the lessons in manners and decorum that Esterline had drilled into her daughters.  Before she even realized what she was doing, force of habit seized her tongue and she heard herself saying:  “Bless you.”

No sooner had the words escaped her lips, when she realized what she had done!  She spoke to Gussie!  Evil, foul, Rufus-stealing Gussie.  She had broken her vow of silence and now had not the slightest clue what to do next. 

She stood there frozen, the wet dish in her hand suspended above the sink.  Her mouth was hanging slightly open, and her eyes were growing wide, as terror began to grip her mind.  Whatever was she going to do now?

At last she turned to face her sister, who was standing frozen in the middle of the floor.  Her mouth was agape and her eyes were frozen wide with terror in an expression that exactly mimicked her sister.  As they stood there silently, mouths open, hardly daring to breathe, the strangest, most unexpected thing began to happen.  Gussie and Bertie began to laugh.

Uncle Earl (right) and Aunt Dorcas

It started as a silly giggling fit, but soon spread to hearty guffaws, as they fell into each other’s arms.  Laughter turned to tears turned to talking turned to yelling turned back to laughter.  On and on throughout the night, the cycle repeated itself.  Each one would laugh at herself.  Then they would laugh at each other.  Then they laughed at themselves as a pair, as they bared their souls and let go of all the pent up resentment. 

They went through a pot of coffee that night, followed by an entire bottle of Earl’s blackberry brandy.  They held hands over the table and begged for forgiveness, which was quickly granted.  Finally, as the sun rose, they declared two things.  First, they had wasted enough time.  Nothing, especially not a man, was ever, ever going to separate them again.  Secondly, it was really Coraline and Rufus they were each angry with.  They vowed to never speak of her or Rufus again.

Story continues after the break.