By ABIGAIL ALDERDICE, [email protected]
Robin Vivaldi intended to run a pop-up shop in downtown Nashville like she had done at the Birds Nest Café and in Indianapolis. But things did not go quite as planned.
“I looked at this place for a potential pop-up spot, and the next thing I knew I was signing a lease,” she said.
Vivaldi opened FiNDS Funky Resale in April, in a building behind the Hoosier Artist Gallery, B3 Gallery and Brown County Art Guild.
There, customers are able to find hand-selected, low-cost items that have lived a previous life.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Clothing, shoes, purses, books and home goods line the walls. Dresses can be found for $12; shoes for $10; skirts, pants and purses for $8; shirts and shorts for $7; and tanks, tees, hats and scarves for $5.
“I’ve always had a passion for thrift shopping and used things,” Vivaldi said. “They have their own personality, their own vibe. This gave me an opportunity to use that passion to make a living.”
Her shop has a variety of gently-loved items, “apart from the soaps — they’re not used,” Vivaldi added.
She was initially worried about filling the large space, but then she looked to her pop-up participants for help.
“I have a lot of very creative friends and that’s why I started doing pop-ups. I just tried to get in spots altogether to sell our stuff,” Vivaldi said. “It’s like a permanent pop-up shop. It’s what I love doing, but in a permanent location.”
In addition to vintage and secondhand items, Vivaldi likes to feature the goods of local artists, consigners and artisans.
Jeannie Meadows has Aunt Bean’s Creations, selling her handmade clothing in the shared space. Wood Frog Farm sells soaps. Nancy Baker vends vintage items.
Customers also can buy T-shirts that support Nashville Farmers Market, SEED Brown County, Indiana Forest Alliance and Wild Tecumseh Friends. “If people buy the T-shirts, they’re helping organizations that are fundamental,” Vivaldi said.
There is one corner of the store that is in the process of growing larger: secondhand outdoor gear.
Vivaldi and her husband, Tony, are avid hikers and backpackers, and she tries to buy used gear when she can. With the state park here, she felt that this option was necessary. “Why not offer the things I look for? It fits with our theme,” she said.
Vivaldi will accept items from locals, either to buy from them or to sell their gear in the shop on consignment. “Donations are always welcome,” Vivaldi said, “but I don’t like to ask for them.”
Customers can expect to see more merchandise coming into the shop, including Brown County-specific jewelry and a section that highlights the work of local musicians.
Vivaldi is a creative herself — selling her own collage work and crafts — looking to support those with the same passion.
“I’m a person who has always needed a creative outlet of some sort, and this shop provides that on so many levels,” Vivaldi said.
“I’ve always been known to be an impulsive type, but I prefer to think of it as the type that follows her gut, her instincts, and moves in a direction that feels right at the time. The concept of this shop is a cumulative result of the many paths I’ve taken over my many years. I’m happy.”
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Location: 84 S. Honeysuckle Lane, behind the Brown County Art Guild and Hoosier Artist Gallery
Hours: Mondays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Open until 7 p.m. during Village Art Walks on fourth Fridays.
Phone: 812-720-1726
Email: [email protected]
Website: findsfunkyresale.com
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