What sells in antique malls? This is the one burning question that everyone--from newbies in this business to the most seasoned dealers-- wants the answer to. And truthfully, the answer to this question changes like the weather.
Just because something sold really well in an antique mall booth last year—or even last month--doesn’t mean that it will sell well today or tomorrow. Some things won’t sell as well for you as they do for me and vice versa. Learning what sells in your antique mall booth is one of the key factors in improving your antique booth profitability.
Certain items sell better in an antique mall booth than they do online (breakables and big furniture for example), and others--like jewelry (in my experience)-- sell better on Etsy or eBay. There are many, many variables at play within our “What sells in antique malls?” experiment.
What Sells in Antique Malls – Important Variables
- Demographics: High end, luxury furniture may sell better in one part of a city or town than another. Certain types of décor will sell better in one state than another, for example, beach-themes sell better near an ocean and cactus themes sell better near the desert.
- Mall location: Malls on the “corner of Main and Main Streets” as they say will have more customer traffic and sales than out-of-town or hard-to-reach locations. So, a mall in a heavy-traffic location may sell a product in high quantities while a low-traffic location may sell far fewer (or none at all).
- Seasonality: Timing definitely matters. Santa suits will always sell better on December 24th than 26th. Holidays like Halloween or Mother's Day have a big influence on what shoppers are looking for.
Above all else, the key to making great sales in any antique booth is offering goods that your customers want.
You may be wondering, “How do I figure out what my customers want?” That essential question may be even more important than asking “What sells in antique malls?”
First I’ll start by sharing my top sellers—to give you some ideas for getting started. Then, I will follow this post up with a link to get my list of 5 Easy Ways to Stay on Top of Sales Trends, so you will continue to stay “in-the-know” of what will sell in your antique mall booth. So, don’t forget to read to the bottom of this post to get that information too!
What Sells in Antique Malls – My Top Sellers
Framed Art
I fill every wall in my booths with framed art--primarily prints and paintings. I'm constantly asked how to choose art that sells in an antique mall booth. There are some key considerations that I keep in mind when I am buying a piece of artwork:
- Do I love it? After years of experience buying and selling framed art, I know that if I love something, many others will too. I also know that if something doesn’t sell (this doesn’t happen too often), I can always keep and enjoy the item in my own home! If you aren’t sure what you love, try searching through Pinterest or Instagram and see what draws you in.
- Do I have someone in mind who would love it? At this stage in the game, I have many, many regular customers, and I know what they love. For example, one of my customers loves nautical art. So, when I recently saw a collection of three watercolor ships, I purchased them with her in mind. Another regular customer of mine collects works by the artist Maxfield Parrish. Don’t worry--even if you are brand new in this business, you can quickly learn what your customers love by simply talking to them every time you work in your booth.
- Is there a market for it? I know from watching my sales over the past several years that I sell southwest décor consistently. So, I continue to buy and sell quality art featuring cacti, colorful sunsets, and native wildlife. And, since there is a plethora of this type of art available, I try to stick with pieces that are unique, hand-painted, sketched, or even signed. I’m not trying to compete with Target or Kirkland’s--and I realize that my customers love finding something rare and special to decorate their homes.
Small Tables
Side tables are my specialty and they sell really well in my antique booth. They are prime project pieces for restoration, paint, or even decoupage.
There are two different ways that I sell side tables: “as-is” or restored. I have plenty of customers looking for their next “DIY” project, and I love to have the opportunity to offer project pieces.
I also love to restore furniture. I will do the work to restore furniture if I find a piece that inspires my passion and creativity (and there is an expected profit in it for me). I love side tables because they don’t take up much space in my booth, and I can feature other items for sale on them--books, lamps, pottery, glass art, sculptures, etc.
I’m always on the lookout for the most collectible used furniture brand names, like Stickley, Drexel Heritage, Henkel Harris, Ethan Allen, Durham, and Century. Also, I have many customers who want to complete a room with furniture from certain eras, such as the 1920s or Mid-century Modern, so I will always keep an eye out for those pieces. Many customers have expressed to me that they feel good about recycling an old piece of furniture instead of buying new. It certainly makes me feel good too!
Nostalgia
One of the many things that I love about antique malls is the experience of taking a “walk down memory lane.” Ever since the day I opened my first antique booth, I have worked to create a nostalgic experience for my customers.
It makes my heart happy when I hear customers saying, “I remember those,” or “I had that when I was a kid,” or “My grandmother had one of these!” I could go on and on about all of the great memory-triggering items that I have sold, but to save time, I’ll just share a few of my top sellers:
- Vintage advertising: Items with well-known brand identifiers sell well for me. Coca-Cola, Campbell’s Soup, Hershey’s, Kodak--to name just a few
- Obsolete technology: Rotary phones, typewriters, projectors, video games
- Toys and games: particularly the most popular ones from each time period
I have to say that I find selling nostalgia to be so much fun. You really want to visit my booths now, don’t you?!
Which item was from the 1980s?
See if you can match the iconic items to their decade
Collectibles
After several years in this business, I have learned that people collect all kinds of things. Buttons, marbles, stamps, coins, dolls, stuffed animals, tins, figurines, and the list goes on and on.
It has taken me some time, though, to learn what my customers collect, and to fill my booth primarily with those specific things. And that has been a result of my asking customers, “What do you collect?” every time I’m in my antique mall.
I also like to experiment by purchasing collectibles that I find interesting and watching to see if they sell (That is the beauty of going to yard sales--mistakes are cheap!) So, while I cannot say with certainty what will be a top seller for you, I can share with you a few things that are doing well for me:
- Vintage vinyl: Girl, put your records on, because people are listening to vinyl again. And not only are they listening to it, but they are also decorating their walls with it! I choose well-known artists and beautiful artwork--and they continue to sell!
- Books: I’ve got to ask those of you who have been watching webcasts, zoom calls, or any kind of meetings from home lately--have you noticed the beautiful books in the background? I have. I love the beautiful bindings and spines of vintage and antique books. And it seems that now everyone is curious about what other people are reading!
- Vintage concert/band T-shirts: They’re comfy and nostalgic, and they take you back to better times. Pandemic or not, these always sell well for me.
- Vintage housewares: Isn’t it funny how the “latest” trends in home décor always seem to be a “blast from the past?” The vintage kitchen is back, baby, so get yourself some Pyrex! Most fans will tell you that they prefer original pieces to the department store reproductions. Ball mason jars, waffle irons, kettles, bread boxes, coffee mills….these are all hot sellers right now!
Local Souvenirs
Experimenting with selling local souvenirs is something I picked up from my years of experience in big box retail. Since antique malls are already a traveler’s destination, it seems fitting to offer our tourists a keepsake to remember their trip.
My booths are in southern Arizona, in the heart of the beautiful desert. We have javelinas, bobcats, mountain lions, and prairie dogs. Our landscapes include chollas and prickly pear and cacti as far as the eye can see. I sell mugs, artwork, pottery, paintings, photographs, keychains, magnets, and various other items that represent our unique part of the country.
Oh, and one more insider tip that I’ll just insert within this category for good measure--items branded with local university and sports logos sell really well for me!
What sells in Antique Malls - Next Steps
Well there you have it, 5 answers to the question “What sells in antique malls”! I hope you took away some tips that you can use on your way to making big sales and profits in your booth!
Remember when I said that the question “How do I figure out what my customers want?” may be even more important than asking “What sells well in an antique booth?”
Here is the next step in learning what sells in antique malls. Below is the link I promised to my list of 5 Easy Ways to Stay on Top of Sales Trends. Just add your information below and I'll send you the tips right away.
5 Easy Ways to Stay on Top of Sales Trends
Don't miss out on these 5 easy ways to discover the sales trends that will help you sell what your customers are searching for. Enter your email address below and I'll send it to you right away!