Today we’d like to introduce you to Callie Myers.
Callie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My parents started the company in 2011. I was newly engaged and they were already avid antique collectors. We decided to use mix and match china and glassware for my wedding, and that choice gave their “picker” habits a purpose and direction. In 2012, my wedding was postponed due to my fiancé’s deployment to Afghanistan. The delay gave them more time to collect pretty things. By the time we had our wedding celebration in May of 2013, they had collected quite a stockpile of useful vintage wedding tableware and decor. Several other wedding vendors suggested they start a business, and so they did!
I was a teacher at the time. I continued to teach until 2016. When my husband and I found out we were expecting our first baby, coincidentally my parents were looking to hire someone to help with the business. I’ve been on the team since then, managing the office day-to-day, social media, invoicing, scheduling, etc. It’s a true family business.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
As with any small family business, things are always tight. We try to balance keeping things affordable for our brides, while still keeping the lights on here. We pride ourselves in being transparent with our pricing and where that money goes. For example, if you pay $2 to rent a vintage dinner plate, that literally goes to that specific item being hand-washed before it comes to you and after it’s returned to us.
Things have not always been easy. My husband was deployed two more times since the start of the business. Things like that throw a large wrench in the function of a two-man operation because it’s impossible to separate the “personal” and the “business” – everything snowballs. Childcare needs change, finances change, trying to keep some semblance of stability in the home becomes harder, etc.
Currently, we are having major hardship due to the Covid-19 pandemic as well. All our events have been postponed or canceled through may. That hits a business like ours catastrophically. We are trying to make a little bit of income selling some items online that haven’t rented in the past year or so. We can’t wait to get back to business as usual!
Southern Vintage – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
The thing we do best is set pretty tables. Southern Vintage is the quintessential family business. We are a mom/pop/daughter team that operates out of a residence. Even though we are a home-based business, we have an extensive inventory. We have thousands of vintage glasses in every shade and size. Water glasses, wine glasses, cocktail, champagne, tea, you name it! We have china for every color scheme (again, thousands and thousands of plates), serving pieces, gold and silver flatware, lounge area furniture, sweetheart chairs, decor, and more. We have recently been adding some ceremony pieces like a copper arch, large wood cross, door arbors, etc.
We take pride in curating a collection that is high quality an on-trend. We have very few items that are not truly vintage, and even then we had to have our arms twisted to add those to our inventory. We follow the trends and keep track of what is in high demand. Burlap and bows were “in” for a while, but now they aren’t. So our collection has changed. We eliminated those more rustic elements in our inventory and have focused now on a more streamlined design aesthetic (but we still have those pretty vintage floral patterns too).
Mostly I think what sets us apart is the continuity in communication. Your emails and calls don’t get lost in the shuffle because there are only two of us. We joke that I handle the communication part and dad is the “delivery guy” (though our responsibilities are obviously much more than just that).
You won’t get the “inquire for pricing” request on our website. We have our full collection with photos, pricing, dimensions, and details all on the site. While we will happily send a custom quote with your desired items on it, we are transparent about our prices for planning purposes. We offer delivery, on-site installation and set-up, and the best part about renting tableware from us is that WE DO THE DISHES.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To us, success is being able to deliver design elements that make events memorable. It’s being able to support our clients in a way that makes their events just a little bit less stressful and a little bit more exciting. We know we have done well when we get positive reviews on our customer service and when our clients refer others to us. Word of mouth referrals are the best pat-on-the-back in this business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sovintagega.com
- Phone: 4786215202
- Email: southernvintage.ga@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/sovintagega
- Facebook: facebook.com/SouthernVintageGA
- Other: pinterest.com/sovintagega , https://www.etsy.com/shop/sovintagega
Image Credit:
Casey Green Photography, Chasity Posey Photography, Shelby Rae Photography, Ann Steward Photo
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