Inspiring Conversations with Jackie Williams of Furnish Me Vintage

Hi Jackie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
We got started in this business about thirteen years ago in Florida. We were new homeowners, underwhelmed by the typical offerings from big box furniture stores. We wanted to furnish our home with pieces that would last, and items that tell our story. That led us to collect vintage pieces. My husband Todd and I have both always been entrepreneurial. Our story is the classic “we started out of our garage” scenario. Next thing you know, we have a retail store. My background in web design and Todd’s experience with e-commerce led us to selling furniture online. We were one of the first companies to sell vintage furniture online. This broad outlet spurred rapid growth to a nationwide customer base that we still maintain today. Our Chattanooga store is a showroom, distribution center, and working studio. Chattanooga has long been a transportation hub. The logistics are great for getting our furniture out to customers coast to coast. We love that our store is so close to major metros like Atlanta, Nashville, Knoxville, and Birmingham. We have folks driving in from all over every weekend.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I always say being a small business owner is like being a farmer, you have to consistently tend to your crop! You can’t skip a day of watering. Your business needs constant attention all the time to make it work. That’s why people say you have to have a passion for what you do. It’s the passion that gets you through the hard times. Having a solid partner is invaluable. I’m super grateful to have my husband as a business partner. Todd is super hard working and the one with the big ideas. I’m the artist and the organizer. Our strengths seem to compliment each other well. It’s difficult to pinpoint a single struggle because honestly, each day presents at least one or two obstacles. We’ve been at this long enough to handle the hurdles with grace. At this stage of the game, we huddle and strategize, instead of panicking.

We’ve been impressed with Furnish Me Vintage, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Furnish Me Vintage is owned by husband and wife team, Todd Wilson and Jackie Williams. We restore and resell fine vintage furniture and home decor. Our specialty is Mid-Century Modern and Post Modern… but our realm includes anything made with exceptional craftsmanship and style. You’ll find bronze figural coffee tables along with museum pieces by Eames and more esoteric designers. We’re funky monkeys, so the collection also features a lot of unique and unusual, even kitschy pieces. The collection is sourced from all over the country brought to Chattanooga, where folks can shop in our showroom. This is a big benefit to local and regional shoppers. Local folks can experience the pieces in person before buying. If you can’t make it to the Chattanooga store, shop our website, furnishmevintage.com we ship anywhere in the US!

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Todd and I are passionate perfectionists and it comes through in our work. Our restorations aim to bring pieces back to their original glory without taking away their vintage charm. Shoppers often ask if our pieces are reproductions because they look nearly new. It’s not new; we just put our foot in when it comes to quality. We want customers to be wowed when their furniture is delivered… and we want that furniture to last many more years. Customer service is important to us. As a small business, our reputation is everything. We go above and beyond when it comes to customer care. Each one of our clients is valuable to us and we want them to know that.