The Beginning

Many Many people come into Savannah Hope Vintage and say OHHH how fun it must be to live your dream. Now I'm not saying I hate what I do.....But MY DREAM? no, not really. What's the saying..."Necessity is the mother of all invention?" well THAT is me. Out of necessity I create.

So here's the story (an abridged version of course)

I have been creating for as long as I can remember. Making "Art" has always been a part of my every day. And yet I never had formal training and have never considered myself an "Artist"

While I have not painted (on canvas) or drawn in my sketch book in quite some time I still have the need to create.

My chosen profession just out of high school was Hair Styling. Yes, that is correct. I was a stylist in top salons in Fort Lee and Englewood for the majority of 20+ years. I created on a daily basis.

After Savannah was born, I realized (as a divorced mom with little family support) over time that my child, when she was sick, was far more important in THAT day, then 8 to 10 ladies haircuts. Sadly, my bosses did not agree and thus I decided to find another way to support us, so I could be the best mom I could be to Savannah.

The inbetween gets "sticky" and complicated sooo suffice it to say in 2008 a few things came together.

I opened Savannah Hope Vintage in an Antique Center in Midland Park (Bergen County). Now I wasn't refinishing furniture at that point. I was operating as an Antique Shop. As I will explain in another post, I have been a collector of American Pottery, China and Glass from the 1900s to the 60s for about 25 years.

After one year I realized I was not only going to be unable to pay my bills operating in that location, but barely paying my shop rent.

SO in December of 2009 I came to Boonton. All the really cool furniture sets from the 20s 30s and 40s were not selling so I thought hey, let me give "Shabby Chic" a try. And it happened.

The truth is...I really did not know what I was doing at first, but like most everything I know, I taught myself "the how tos".

I am still just "the light at the end of the tunnel" distance away from being able to support Savannah and I with my business. But every day, every week, every month, I try and improve and make SHV a cooler, cuter, and funner (lol) place to shop.