Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amina Lee. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Amina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When you were first starting out, did you join a firm or start your own?

When I first started out, it was with my sister and sister-in-law, and we operated a home decor/antique shop called “Pieces of Time”. We offered items from all different periods, not just antiques, hence, our shop name was perfect. We sold all types of items ranging from dinnerware to vanities, jewelry to paintings. We enjoyed operating the boutique as it gave us a sense of purpose in preserving home decor items. We worked with other dealers who occupied rooms/space in our shop selling their “finds”. Each of us had our own style, interests and vision and yet it all came together. After 8 years in business, we had to close due to redevelopment of the location. Once the business closed, we continued selling at antique shows, flea markets and other events geared towards selling pre-owned and repurposed items. However, that became a bit much as we had to pack and unpack, load, unload, and reload. During this time, both my sister and sister-in-law moved away, so I began rethinking on continuing doing mobile resale. Then, I received a call from my friend Renee Banks, who was a dealer in our shop, asking if we would conduct an estate sale for an acquaintance of hers who was relocating and needed our services and that was our first sale. I asked Renee to become my new business partner and she accepted. I changed the business name to “Pieces of Time Estate Sales, LLC”. and we were in business (again). Setting up for an estate sale involves a lot of work and is very similar to setting up a shop. Basically, we have to arrange the home as a shop. Our first approach is to organize the items in a way that made it easier to shop the home. Therefore, we bring our supplies such as tables, racks, jewelry cases, baskets, etc. to setup the display. Once the items are organized and displayed, they have to be photographed and lastly tagged. We spend hours preparing for a sale, working weekends and sometimes weeknights. At the time of the sale, we recruit family members to work with us, which we dearly call “Our Team”. We proudly boast it as a family-owned business. Although our business is not a brick-and-mortar operation, it is a home-based business that allows flexibility, serves a purpose in so many ways, provides extra income, and I truly enjoy. Once I started the estate sales business, I wanted to offer more services for our business and decided to become a personal property appraiser. In order to achieve that goal, I researched to find out what was entailed and started my journey in that profession. It is a service in which I was already involved, and I wanted to expand my knowledge, with an opportunity to build on our business. I took on-line courses with the International Society of Appraisers and became a member. I am so pleased to have found this organization because it has increased my interest not just for “resale” value, but for “value” in general because everything has a value, no matter how low or high.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

First off, I would like to say that I am a twin. Both my sister and I often wonder how we became interested in “old things”. We are 60’s babies, who grew up in the 70’s & 80’s and liked things from 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. I guess it just one of those things. So, as I got older, I still sought out older items to reuse, or have reupholstered, or even refinished. It was something about the craftmanship of older furniture that was/is different to today’s home furnishings. By already having personal interest of those items in general, made it more appealing to have a business in a field that I like and find rewarding. Our business motto is “recycle, repurpose, reuse”. and now terms like “upcycle, restyle and redo” are now more commonly used. I embrace all ideas of making something old look new again and encourage others when advertising and shopping our sale. My mission is to reduce the waste in landfills, and I believe this business is doing just that. Although we can’t guarantee to sell everything in the house, we certainly lighten the load and reduce what may have ended as waste.

How’d you meet your business partner?

My sister and I attended a baby shower for a couple that owned an antique shop that we frequented. At the baby shower we met another friend of the couple whose name was Renee Banks. We mentioned to her that our maiden name was Banks and that was strange that we shared the same last name. Then she tells us that she is a twin (like us) and again, what a coincidence! A few weeks went by, and we received a call from our friend whose baby shower we attended asking if we would like to meet with her about a business opportunity and of course we did. We met with her and Renee when she proposed that we co-own her shop. We were skeptical at first but decided to take a chance. It was an opportunity to get in the business and learn. Things didn’t go as smoothly, as we had hoped, so we all decided to part ways. After that departure, we were still interested in having a shop. Then another opportunity was available, and we accepted it. My twin sister, Jamala Wallace, my sister-in-law, Barbara Carson, and we opened our home decor/antique shop called “Pieces of Time”. Once we opened, we contacted two other dealers we knew, Renee Banks and Sue Longo and they joined with us a dealers in our shop. When time came for us to close the shop, I remained in close contact with Renee since my sister and sister-in-law moved away. When Renee contacted me about conducting an estate sale, it was ideal in beginning a new business. There was no overhead expenses associated with an actual shop and allowed much more flexibility. It was perfect for both of us.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

When we prepare for an estate sale, we first plan out how people can maneuver the home and make the items accessible and moveable. We use tablecloths on the tables, neatly organize items on racks and rearrange the furniture for easy removal. We have built a reputation based on our organized and professional setup, our polite and efficient staff, the fine jazz music we play for the shopping experience, and a complimentary piece of candy when leaving. We always receive compliments about our sales and have gained followers because of the specific reasons.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: piecesoftimeestatesales
• Facebook: Pieces of Time Estate Sales
• Other: Estatesales.net Estatesale.com Estatesales.org International Society of Appraisers