We were lucky to catch up with Siera Hipsher recently and have shared our conversation below.

Siera, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s talk about keeping costs under control when growing. How have you managed to keep costs from getting out of control?

Times are tough for most people right now. I grew up in a working class family, so I’m no stranger to having to get creative in order to cut costs. Luckily a lot of the ways I cut costs are also things I do in the name of sustainability. I use secondhand bags instead of buying paper for customer purchases, most of my inventory is from yard sales or secondhand shops, and I do nearly all repairs that either the shop or inventory needs myself.

Siera, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have been going to yard sales and thrift stores my whole life. I used to look down on it because I thought everyone would know we were poor because they’d just know that the jeans I was wearing were from a thrift store. I got over that pretty quickly when I was on my own. When I had my second child, I wanted to make extra money to buy diapers, so I started listing toys and clothes they’d outgrown online. That eventually lead to taking a job with an estate sale company. I was also able to sell some of my own vintage items in their consignment sales. I loved it, but the company eventually closed several locations across the country. I didn’t know what to do, so I thought “Why don’t I try selling my stuff at a vintage pop up market?” So, I did, and had so much fun. After about the third market, I was a little annoyed that there wasn’t one closer to my neighborhood. So I thought, “Maybe I should start one!” And I did! That was 7 years ago. I have learned a lot, and made so many connections to other small business owners and artists. As I was prepping for another market for Shop Small Saturday in Novemberof 2022, I got to talking with the owner of the building I was hosting the market in. She asked if I was interested in the store front space she had available, and here we are!

It always make me so happy when someone comes in, and asks my opinion or for help finding something for a special event they have coming up. I absolutely live for it! My shop has a little something for everyone including vintage home decor, furniture, clothing and accessories. I’m constantly painting, or hanging more art so the space is always evolving. It warms my heart when people walk through the door and audibly gasp because of something I put together. Most recently I have painted a purple zebra trim around a door, and cheetah print around another door. I believe that all the details make my shop a destination.

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

Fair pricing, and connections are the two biggest keys to keeping people coming back to my shop. I have tons of events over the years, so I have met a lot of people in and around my community. Making sure people are taken care of is a big priority for me. If something goes wrong, I try to make it right. If an item doesn’t make you feel incredible, then let’s find something that does. I will even happily suggest another small business if I know they might have what they’re looking for. If something isn’t in your budget, let’s find something that is or figure out a way to make it work with your budget. I’m not in the business of holding onto things. I want to help them find a forever home so I can find another treasure to bring in!

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Social media and word of mouth are the best return. I make silly little videos, post them on the internet, and then forget about them. People often tell me they came in because saw such and such video, and it makes me laugh because I never think anyone watches them. Lots of people stop in because a friend or relative told them they just HAD to! It’s so fun to hear how people found Market Vintage.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.marketvintageindy.com
• Instagram: @marketvintageindy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marketvintageindy
• Other: Tiktok: @marketvintageindy
  Rednote: @marketvintageindy
  Bluesky: @marketvintageindy

Image Credits

Personal photo: Christine Erlandson Photo Co.

All other images by Siera