Misty Pate: Thrifter Junker Vintage Hunter – WorthPoint

In the world of vintage, not only are there collectors and fans but also resellers, such as online reseller and thrifting guru Misty Pate. The mission of a reseller is to hit up vintage shops, antique malls, flea markets, and garage sales to find inventory they can then “flip” or resell. Many resellers will then flip their finds via online marketplaces, and it’s this circle of buying and selling that makes a significant impact on the economy.

According to NARTS, there are more than 20,000 used merchandise stores in the US, with a combined annual revenue of about $15 billion annually. Thrift store industry stats show that approximately 16 to 18 percent of Americans shop at thrift stores, and 93 percent of US shoppers purchase used goods online.

WorthPoint spoke with Misty Pate—also known as Thrifter, Junker, Vintage Hunter—about her experiences as a full-time vintage reseller, the trends she sees in the business, and how newbies might want to start their own hunts for vintage finds.

MEET MISTY PATE

WorthPoint: How did you get started in the thrifting/vintage industry?

Misty Pate: My parents were antique dealers. I grew up traveling all over with them, looking for inventory. I grew up in an antique store and just never knew any different. I thought everybody did this. My father would tell me to look for small figurines or kitschy items like salt and pepper shakers, which were not very expensive if I dropped them.

WP: How do you manage the logistics of storing, shipping, and managing your inventory of thrifted finds?

MP: I’m fortunate to have a brick-and-mortar space. Until Christmas of 2019, I had a shop of my own, but it was a side business to my full-time job, and it just became too much work, so we closed, hoping to pivot to an online shop. When the pandemic happened a few months later, I set up in my building. I have a station for shipping and a station set up for filming my auctions, and I use it as a workshop of sorts.

SALES STRATEGY AND MARKETING

WP: How do you decide where to shop for your inventory? Do you have a specific travel calendar?

MP: I live in Indiana, so I stay within a two-hour radius, mostly between Indianapolis, Indiana, and Louisville, Kentucky. My husband and I drive, so two hours each way means we can do most thrifting trips in a day. We have occasionally gone on longer trips, so I have to factor in airfare or hotel charges. I make sure longer trips are to places I know I can source merchandise with a good profit margin and where I can shoot a few weeks’ worth of content.

WP: You mention content; you have two YouTube channels, The Misty Show and your sales channel, so what is it like to create content and manage a reselling business?

MP: The online reselling space is pretty saturated, and marketing is key. Just like a brick-and-mortar location, sellers have to know how to “keep people in the room.” Everyone has their favorite collectibles and their favorite sellers, so the content is a big help online because it gives you access to followers, many of whom turn into customers.

WP: On the business end of reselling, how do you determine pricing, profit margins, and whether or not something you find in a shop is worth purchasing for resale?

MP: It’s partly about experience. I’ve been doing it for long enough, and I grew up in the business. I’ve gotten to know a lot about brands and the history behind a lot of vintage items, but there are a lot of resources available now. I use WorthPoint in my research. The Price Guide tells me how much something has sold for recently, and it helps me decide what I might buy and what I can leave behind.

WP: Are there certain times of the year when something will fetch a higher price?

MP: Definitely. If I have Halloween inventory, that will sell for more in late August. If I have Easter décor, that won’t bring a high price until a month or so out from the holiday. What I put up for sale varies from month to month, and the time of year definitely impacts what I choose to focus on with each sale.

CURRENT VINTAGE TRENDS

WP: Do you sell only items from a specific time or genre?

MP: I love mid-century modern and kitsch, maybe because that’s what my dad would always send me to look for when I would travel with him when I was a kid and going on buying trips. I consider myself a “home décor enthusiast,” so my inventory is usually very mixed. I’m not a fan of everything matching. I put everything from vintage dolls to coffee pots around my space because having an eclectic mix of random items is a look I like.

I encourage my subscribers to choose things they like for their space and put them wherever they want. If I had to pick what most of my stuff is, it’s kitsch décor from the mid-century period, but now and then, I’ll find something outside that space that has to come home with me.

WP: What trends are you seeing now in vintage sales?

MP: Well, prices are dropping a bit, but overall, it’s a growing market. When I’m thrifting, I keep a saying I heard in my head: “If it’s brown, put it down.” Big, heavy pieces of furniture, heavy frames, or other wood décor pieces aren’t moving at all.

Where I shop, the primitive, farmhouse look is still popular, so I can find MCM items, kitsch décor, and other pieces for good prices because different styles are more on trend right now. I think 1950s kitsch is going to make a big comeback, though.

WP: What about networking? How can resellers find communities of other sellers?

MP: That’s the thing about online sales; you aren’t limited to a geographic area; you can reach other sellers via Instagram, WhatNot, YouTube, etc. Coming together online to share ideas is a great way to reach out.

There are also in-person groups. I just spent time at BOSS Reseller Remix in Las Vegas, and I got to be part of some panels and meet other sellers. It’s always a good idea to find people who do what you do.

WP: Is there anything else our readers should know about your business or reselling in general?

MP: I’ve recently created an online selling platform for vintage items. It’s called VAMP, for “Vintage Antique Marketplace,” and buyers and sellers can search out specific items, post questions for other sellers, and learn about trends in the industry. It’s a great place to start if you’re new to vintage or vintage reselling.

For newbies who want to try and get into the space, I’d suggest starting with items that aren’t intimidating. Shipping ceramics, crystal and glass, and other breakables can be daunting, so start with easier or smaller items. Right now, ephemera is going well; vintage magazines, postcards, and photos are an excellent genre to start with.

Linens are also really hot, like placemats, tea towels, pillowcases, and sheets. I often break up a set of sheets and sell the pillowcases separately because they tend to go for more than sheets. Putting items together in lots is another way to create interest and sell inventory that individually might not move as fast.

WorthPoint partners with many resellers and auction houses in the industry, and we love to talk with thrifters and fans of antiques and vintage about their businesses. We encourage buyers, resellers, dealers, and pickers to learn from each other, and we make it a goal to educate our community of subscribers. Our Price Guide, Dictionary, Marks database, and Blog are full of information for sellers, buyers, or just fans of vintage. Let us help you stay informed so you can buy and sell with confidence.

Are you a part of the reselling space in antique, vintage, or collectible items? We’d love to hear from you at [email protected].

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Brenda Kelley Kim lives in the Boston area. She is the author of Sink or Swim: Tales From the Deep End of Everywhere and writes a weekly syndicated column for The Marblehead Weekly News/Essex Media Group. When not writing or walking her snorty pug, Penny, she enjoys yard sales, flea markets, and badminton.

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