| Thursday, September 02, 2010 | SUBSCRIBE | COMMUNITY LINKS | ADVERTISING INFO | TO REACH US |
 |
|
| HOME | | | HAPPENINGS | | | DECORATING | | | SPOTLIGHT | | | COLLECTING | | | AUTO | | | FASHION | | | TRAVEL | | | EVENTS | | | AUCTIONS | | | CLASSIFIEDS | | | PHOTO GALLERY | | | BLOG |
 |
|
Owners Erika Friend and Sandy Bryan, who met as sellers at a flea market four years ago, are "The Tattered Girls"; so close they are often mistaken for sisters. "We instantly knew there was a connection," recalls Friend. "We loved shopping the same hidden antique area on the coast and have the same love of musty old boxes and rust. We've been selling near each other ever since." Friend and Bryan are both business grads who traded in their suits and pumps for jeans and shirts with paint. "We hope you appreciate our casual elegance when you come in," said Friend. "We pride ourselves on being honest and fair; casual and helpful; creative; and most importantly, we think our prices are quite friendly." The Tattered Girls travel regularly in search of antiques to Oregon, the California coast, and Florida. "Different regions offer different perspectives and you never know what you may find or what history you can obtain," said Bryan. The Tattered House hosts quarterly events, including flea markets, holiday open houses, and creative workshops for customers. "Our goal is to constantly create a sense of warmth and comfort as you come through our cottage," said Friend. "We hope that we can be a source of inspiration to your everyday living." The Tattered House team includes one dealer couple. "Clinton and Becky Watson have a fresh perspective and creative vision," said Bryan. "They have an amazing way of bringing design into their space with antiques and vintage decor." The shop also showcases the artistic creations of a group of consignors who offer vintage-inspired pieces, including a tiara made from bits of old jewelry, wooden boxes made from salvaged wood, and a handcrafted bird made from old millinery. The Tattered House is truly a family business, with the duo's husbands and children helping out in any way possible. "If it weren't for their support, Erika and I wouldn't be able to do as much as we do," said Bryan. Friend has great patience for painting old discarded furniture and giving it beautiful new life. "I will never forget her painting and sanding the dowdy oak bathroom vanity in the shop the minute we got the turquoise paint," recalled Bryan. "Viola! It was done in a day and it still inspires our customers." Friend and Bryan strive to maintain The Tattered House as a place for such inspiration. "We feel this is how the next generation of antique stores should be," said Bryan. "We believe that antiques should be functional, touchable, usable, and recycled." In the past, she noted, antiques were something to be set in the corner; admired and dusted, but never loved. "At The Tattered House, we believe in vintage living," Bryan added. "We live with our antiques and our vintage pieces, and think that silvering of mirrors only reflects the character of the faces seen in them." The Tattered Girls can claim their share of successes. The shop had acquired an early-1900s oak mirror that looked quite stunning once Friend painted it. A lady who for years had been seeking an older mirror for a dresser saw it and instantly loved it, especially how the silvering on the mirror had begun to peel. In April, The Tattered House hosted and sponsored Roseville's first Antique Market as part of the celebration of Roseville's centennial, featuring over 50 dealers and a street closure. The Tattered House offers painting services, layaway, delivery, and maintains a wish list for customers. The Tattered Girls also sell regularly at the Alameda Antiques Faire. Bryan says that the blog on the shop's web site has opened their business up to the entire Internet vintage/antiques community. She and Friend are strong believers and supporters in the value of networking with their peers. "We network with local shop owners and send customers to each other quite frequently because it is important to make sure the customer is always finding what they want," said Bryan. "What we all offer is one-of-a-kind, and in the end, the customer is better off and will always come back." The Tattered House is located at 417 Oak Street in Roseville, CA. Business hours are Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday 11a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday and Tuesday, by chance. For information call (916) 772-7700 or go to www.thetatteredhouse.com. |
|
