Travelers Rest is well known for its family appeal, so it should come as no surprise that there are three sets of sisters operating three different businesses in Travelers Rest.
In the last blog we talked to Joyce and Nancy McCarrell of the Café at Williams Hardware. Check it out if you missed it.
And now, the adventure continues with the sisters of RetroMarketplace on South Main Street in Travelers Rest.
Edith Garrett and Mary Webb grew up with antiques in the homes of their parents and grandparents. “We were considered ‘Railroad Brats’ because we moved around the South all of our childhood,” they tell us. “We were the new kids on the block and we relied on each other and our brother for friendship and fun. As sisters, we shared a room and decorated it in vintage through high school; something we continue to this day in our own houses. Our love for vintage has filled our garages and basements.” The two spent years apart but, “now that we’re in the same town to stay, RetroMarketplace was the perfect next step!”
They started out spending time together and shopping for vintage pieces. Eventually, they realized that they had so much that they needed to start selling some of it. “Our shop is centered on vintage furniture, clothing and home décor. As we grow, we find our specialties are evolving as we learn more about the history of cameras, mid-century modern décor and framed prints, to name a few.” They buy from different sources in order to keep prices down. “We are also learning about upcycling trends, so we want to do more painting and refurbishment to broaden our merchandise.”
Both sisters love to shop, so that works out well. “And sharing a sense of humor makes it even more fun. We both love vintage and collectibles so it’s easy to spend time together studying trends, making seasonal plans and building the business together.”
“It would be easy to take advantage of each other, so we focus on our strengths and maintain respect for each other in the day-to-day work.”
Like most sisters they are just as much different as they are alike. Mary enjoys, “working in my yard, cooking for my family and working on DIY projects. My husband just retired so there’s that new challenge!”
Edith likes “working on genealogy research, writing, crafts and trying out restaurants on road trips with my husband.”
Mary and Edith treat Travelers Rest as their neighborhood. “We try to purchase as much as possible from the TR and Greenville area and we partner with local businesses on different projects. We’re just getting started featuring local artists’ designs that fit in with our vintage décor and that is very exciting. We want to become a trusted source of quality vintage for our neighbors and newcomers to the area who are furnishing their homes. We’re also developing our personal shopping service and upcycled furniture pieces to add to our line.”
It’s a sister thing that includes the whole community, so stop in and say hello.
