Shop Talk with Home Sweet Home

  I wanted to do a regular series on my blog, something unique that hasn't been done before. I came up with an idea to feature small shops, that are located throughout the country. So, every Friday you can stop by and check out a new shop, and at the same time meet the owner. Today, we will be shopping at Home Sweet Home. The two owners of this shop really know a thing or two about VINTAGE GOODNESS! Susan and her mother Sharon have one charming shop, and I am tickled pink to share it with all of y'all today at SHOP TALK. After you finish drooling over all the goodies, please be sure to go by and check out Susan's blog...MUST LOVE JUNK and their facebook page for HOME SWEET HOME.

  I'm so honored that Linda has asked me to be a part of her Shop Talk!  I really enjoy reading about other shops, and I'm happy to be included in this series!

My mom and I own a little shop in Canton, Ohio called 'Home Sweet Home.'  My mom is my best friend, and we've always dreamed of opening a shop together.  (I can remember when I was little, I'd make my younger sister play 'store' with me!  Of course I was always the bossy owner while she was the customer! :)
My grandma owned a variety of antique stores in Tennessee throughout her life, so I guess it's in my genes!

My mom and I made our dream a reality about 8 years ago.  My hubby and I were moving back to my hometown after living about 2 1/2 hours away the first 6 years of our marriage, so mom and I decided that this was the perfect time to pursue our dream.

After finding what we thought was the ideal location to open our shop (a commercial building in a nearby town) we decided to take a leap of faith, and went in to sign the papers to lease.  Imagine our utter surprise and dismay to get there and discover that someone else was signing the papers right then, to open a pizza place! They had just beat us to the punch, and we left SO disappointed! (I mean, what did a pizza place need those gorgeous store-front display windows for, anyway?)

But like so many things do, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise!

While we were still discouraged about losing the location that we wanted and trying to figure out where to look next, the home right next door to my parents became available. My parents own this home as a rental, and the renters were going to be buying their own home so they gave their notice.

My mom had owned a clothing shop here for awhile in the 90's (hence the awning which has since been removed) so it was already zoned for commercial use, but we wondered how a vintage home goods store would do in this location.  It's a quaint little brick bungalow, but a bit off the beaten path in a residential area.

After praying about it we decided to go for it! We opened the shop here, and we've never looked back!

We knew from the start that we didn't want to be tied down to the shop every day; we wanted to be out hunting for fabulous treasures to bring to our customers (after all, that's half the fun!)
So on most days we are out 'junkin' for the shop, and we are only open on Fridays and Saturdays.

We wouldn't have the luxury of having these hours if we had a big overhead (like we would've in the original location that we wanted) so we are blessed that my dad is a generous landlord! (As well as our handyman! :)

We were pioneers back in the day when we started, with our unique location and limited hours.  (There was only 1 other shop-a florist-in our area back then.)  Now there are 4 other shops within walking distance of ours with similar hours, so our little berg has become a fun shopping destination!

When we first opened, the aesthetic inside wasn't ideal...the walls were wallpapered and dark as you can see here, and the kitchen still had its appliances.  Also, the kitchen cupboards and ceiling had outdated stenciling on them.

At first we worked with what we had!

Then a few years ago we gave the inside a fresh makeover.  We painted the walls a light neutral color, added some pretty light fixtures, removed the kitchen appliances, and painted the cupboards with chalkboard paint. It made such a difference!  Now the shop is light and bright.

Just like in my home, the shop's style has evolved over time.  We carry of mix of styles in furniture and furnishings from rustic...

...and farmhouse...

...to classic vintage...

...to industrial...

We love to bring in architectural or salvaged pieces and they usually sell quickly...

We're lucky to have a local girl who makes wonderful candles for us.  They smell amazing, and we can barely keep them in stock!

We always enjoy decorating for the different seasons...

We also opened our Etsy shop 'must love junk' about 3 1/2 years ago.  We list mostly farmhouse and industrial style smaller items on it.

Lots of wire baskets!

My mom and I feel so blessed that we've been able to do what we love all these years!  We've met so many wonderful people and have developed such a loyal following.

We're constantly bringing in new fun finds, and we change the shop around every week to keep it fresh for our fantastic customers.
It's a lot of hard work, but we have so much fun with it!
And when people come in and tell us that 'Home Sweet Home' is their favorite shop, it makes it all worth it! :)

I hope that you all enjoyed a glimpse into our shop!
Thank you, Linda, for having me here!

Linking up here...
Chic By You
Hit Me with Your Best Shot
Swing Into Spring
Be Inspired @Common Ground
Feathered Nest Friday
Show and Tell Friday