Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Gardner.
Liz, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Mayflower officially began in the summer of 2015, but collecting and selling antiques has been in my family for three generations. My grandparents were antique dealer—my grandmother specialized in costume jewelry, my grandfather in antique toys—and they had a space every summer at the Brimfield. My mother, Rebecca, and I also developed the vintage bug, but we didn’t turn it into a business until we visited the Providence Flea together three years ago. We realized our collections had grown too big, and thought it would be fun to set up a tent and try our hand at selling. The first day was a huge success for us, and we were addicted. My father, Nick, joined in not long afterwards with his collection of vintage vinyl. Now we are constantly on the hunt at estate sales and thrift stores. We’ve grown every year and haven’t looked back!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My parents have owned a small business, Gardner Tire Center in Dighton, MA, for thirty years, so starting another family business came naturally. The biggest challenge for me personally is that I work full-time at a museum in addition to co-owning Mayflower, so I’m frequently trying to balance weekdays in the office with nights and weekends working on the business, as well as my personal life. Sometimes it can be really difficult to make it all work, but keeping routines, setting goals and being honest with myself about what I can reasonably accomplish in a day keeps me sane.
The frequent 4:00 am wake up calls on weekends to drive to far-away markets or estate sales can be rough, too, but I’m lucky to have a supportive husband who will wake up with me to haul all the boxes and pack up the car!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Mayflower sells eclectic vintage clothing and accessories from the 1940s–1990s, vintage home goods and furnishings, and vintage vinyl records. I specialize in clothing, while my mother Rebecca focuses on antiques and home goods, such as dishes, glass, textiles, books, and art. While my father Nick primarily sells vinyl records, he also generally has a small selection of cassettes, turntables, and other fun stuff for audiophiles.
We only sell things that we really love ourselves, and we aim to keep our prices as fair as possible because we believe that vintage should be fun without breaking the bank. I started collecting vintage as a broke college student because it was an affordable way to express my quirky style and I love helping others to do the same. One of the best parts of owning this business is meeting fellow vintage lovers, and sharing that magic moment when they find that special something: the missing piece of their collection, the dress that fits them like a glove, or the perfect painting to hang above their couch.
We currently sell at local markets around New England (the Providence Flea, Urban Vintage Bazaar, and the Salem Flea are some of our favorites), at pop-ups (I regularly feature clothing at HausWitch Home + Healing in Salem), and online at our Etsy shop.
What were you like growing up?
I’ve always been a collector, though now you’ll see lots of vintage cameras and paint-by-numbers in my home instead of the stuffed animal collections of my childhood. I was also interested in art from an early age and studied art history in college before earning my master’s degree in museum education, which eventually led to my career working as an educator and interpretive planner in art museums. Although managing the responsibilities of both of my jobs is demanding, I find it really satisfying to be pursuing and sharing my passions 24/7.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mayflowervintage.com
- Email: mayflowervintagepvd@gmail.com
- Instagram: @mayflower_vintage
- Facebook: @MayflowerVintageShop
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