Two of the Heirloom family....

After moving into the Heirloom Cupboard, I spent the next year concentrating on learning the antique business. I felt like I had joined a new family, and was starting a new part of my life. The Heirloom Cupboard had 12 dealers. I can't just clump them together as a group of dealers. I need to introduce them because each one of them has a story and each represents a friendship and learning experiences to me. Plus, quite frankly, each one was a character! To this day I still think of them fondly and with appreciation for their taking me under their wings and teaching me so many things that would have taken me many years to have learned on my own.
As you came in the front door of the Heirloom Cupboard, on the left was Jane Riegger's section. It was her shop and she set the standard high. Everything in her spot was a true antique. She spent the winter in Cape Coral, Florida and spent those months buying antiques from great off-the-beaten-path shops and markets. Her prices were high but the quality and uniqueness of the piece, was what make the price worth it. Where would you find another one like what she had? There lay the key to her success. I scoured her spot with a fine tooth comb reading her descriptions and memorizing prices of what things were. I ordered all the latest price guides, Judith Miller's, Kovel's... my Schroeder's became my new best friend. I'd look up all her things and soon realized she know very well what things went for. Jane was a professional and a great business woman.

On the right as you came in the door was Shirley Moon's area. Anyone who was in the business, knew Shirley Moon. Shirley was delightful. She was in her mid 60's then, with white, blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that always had a twinkle in them. She had a great sense of humor, and could do impressions of the people in the shop. She did them so well that you would be laughing uncontrollably. That only made her do them more. Shirley was an actress, did a lot of community theater. Her maiden name was Barnum, her relatives were of the Barnum and Bailey Circus fame. She loved theatrics and was very quick witted. Shirley was an authority on "TheVictorian Woman". She gave talks on this subject at the Institute of Chatauqua in Jamestown, New York, and Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, Ohio. She lived in Berea near the college in a big Victorian home, the kind that looked like the southern plantation mansions with the long porches on the front both on the ground floor and with French doors opening out onto the porch on the second floor. Shilrey had it decorated completely with antiques and white wicker furniture. I loved visiting there. Her house was my dream home.
She also knew everything there was to know about English Tea's and High Tea. One time she called me and said get dressed up I'm taking you to Tea. She picked me up in her big black Cadillac, dressed to the 9's with a big floppy brimmed hat on with huge roses all around the rim with a big satin ribbon floating down her back. She had on white gloves that went up to her elbows. We drove all the way to Sandusky for Tea...with her talking all the way... telling stories one right after the other. I sat listening, all the while amazed how one person could have such an interesting, fun-filled, accomplished life. Sandusky was a two and a half hour drive away! You had to love Shirley Moon.
Shirley's spot reflected her personality. Light and bright, whimsical, and flowery. It was full of flowered fabric covered pillows and floral china dishes, white wicker, lace and frills. She was shabby chic... before shabby chic was the craze.