We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Joyce Workman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Joyce below.

Joyce, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

I have always loved vintage and I have always loved the color green.

My parents used to drag me to antique shows, garage sales, and while I never bought anything I loved seeing everything and all the people.

For the past 10 years I’ve “junked” with my Dad every Friday. He’s now 90 and it’s getting harder for him, but we still stop at a few estate sales and then enjoy lunch together.

My fascination with the color green….I don’t know where it got started or why. It’s the color that draws me in and speaks to my heart.

So vintage and green = Vintage Green (and yes most of the store items are green)

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

I’m Joyce, Married for 41 years, boy mom (two boys), first time grandma (granddaughter), love my puppy, McCoy (named after McCoy pottery), vintage, junkin trips, summer walks, coffee, red wine, reading, the smell of lavender, real people and I am a Believer.

My career was spent in Christian School Administration (20 years). The first 12 were at a Christian High School, and the last eight were spent traveling the US and Canada helping Christian schools with creating and implementing their growth/funding plans. During my last years my parents were both ill and in and out of the hospital. Once while working in New Mexico both my parents were hospitalized. It was too much to work, travel and care for my parents.

One of the five items on my bucket list (1. Get a tattoo – check, 2. Have a cocktail at a tiki bar in the ocean – check), 3. Open my own vintage store – check), 4. Meet John Lewis – Sadly he passed before I could meet him, 5. Have something I’ve written be published – need to work on this) was to open a vintage store. The timing was right to leave my career, open my vintage store and be more available for my parents,

So eight years ago I opened Vintage Green. I had no idea my neighborhood would be ike shangri la. My neighbors have become my friends, my support system, my community building partners…. I’ve been incredibly blessed to own a business alongside so many amazing business owners. During these years I’ve also gotten involved with numerous committees and the Main Street Board. Currently I serve as chair of that board.

During these years I’ve grown my business over numerous platforms: social media, brick and click shopping and recently became a certified-woman-owned business. I love all the ways the store is stretching me, challenging me, all while using skills I learned during college and my work. (I have a double Bachelors: public relations and advertising, Masters in management).

There is nothing better than chasing your dreams and loving on your own business. It’s a lot of work, but I cannot imagine doing anything else.

At Vintage Green I only purchase what I love. So when a customer comes in and loves something it makes me so happy. They love what I love. I’ve also met, and made so many beautiful people who are now my friends.

I’m most proud of owning my own business AND building a community.

Eight years ago I also hosted “Flea on Seventh.” It’s an outdoor market with vendors, and involves my entire neighborhood. My first year there were 28 vendors (that I pleaded and begged to be vendors) and this past year there were 83 vendors and we estimated 5,000 guests. It’s just an amazing day in my neighborhood. It only happens once a year and nothing is better than having people ask me to host it more often :)

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Covid. I’ve said this too many times in the past three years: I’m tired of the word pivot. Covid closed down the world I was just celebrating my fifth anniversary. This is the year (so everyone says) that makes your business easier, better….and covid closes the world down. For a day I laid on the floor and thought all the naughty words! But, that really doesn’t help, so I looked at all the things I could do to make my business sustainable. My only thought was to cover my fixed costs.

Thankfully, Surprisingly and Gratefully …my shipping became my livelihood and the local marketplace. During covid my business increased 58%. Last year my shipping was one-third of my total sales. This year everything requires continual pivoting (again) : economy, budgets and many, many weekend shows that take away from stores.

While pivoting is initially challenging, it is good to continually change and stay on your toes.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

When I decided to open my vintage store I knew I didn’t want to spend any money “of ours” on this adventure.

At the time I opened the store my oldest son was working in banking. He had a lot of experience with small businesses. So I asked his advice: sales tax money that you collect isn’t yours (set it aside) and have six months of costs saved. Today I still set aside sales tax collected and have seven months of fixed costs set aside.

In the beginning there were months that I couldn’t buy any inventory (so I would rearrange everything in the store to look newly picked). (everything in the store is hand picked and authentic vintage) I remember one month in my first year I had $14 (total) to my business name.

Watching my budget, monthly tracking, reassessing costs and purchases, and finding better ways to manage my business is a daily responsibility.

Contact Info:

• Website: vintagegreenantiques.com
• Instagram: vintagegreenantiques
• Facebook: vintagegreen
• Linkedin: Joyce A Workman
• Twitter: _vintagegreen