Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbara Johnson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in a military family that was posted all over the US and overseas. I remember going to flea markets in England and Spain, shopping garage sales on military bases and making do with what we had. Later on, as a mother of four kids, shopping second hand was how I could afford to clothe my kids and decorate my home.
My business started organically, helping friends and family decorate with vintage, re-purposed items. My daughter and I officially “launched” Reveille Rustics and Relics in February 2014. We started with a small booth in a local antique mall and a few pop up markets throughout the years.
After college graduation, my daughter left the business to go on to her career. My husband, Todd, who was always behind the scenes, stepped up and began using his woodworking skills to bring unique and custom pieces to life for our booths and shows. In 2022, I left my career in social work/ministry to pursue reselling vintage full-time.
We have grown it into 3 booths in Dallas (LulaB’s in the Design District and East Dallas Vintage) and McKinney (Antique Company Mall). We also travel and participate in 6 to 8 large markets here in Texas and the surrounding states (The Great Junk Hunt and Time Travelers Vintage Expo).
I re-purpose items, paint or refinish furniture, and have great success in sourcing vintage home goods, art and furniture. My husband, Todd builds custom tables and furniture pieces and is the muscle when we travel to markets. We have eclectic taste that ranges from mid century modern to rusty and worn. Our passion is bringing affordable vintage goods to our customers.
Because I source a large amount of vintage through estate sales, my friends and I started a podcast about them called “Dead People’s Things” about 4 years ago. We chat about the ins and outs of estate sales as well as our favorite finds. We are on a hiatus for now, but have new episodes coming and plenty of past episodes for people to catch up with.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I built the business slowly and consistently and without taking on any debt. We initially kept reinvesting our profits into more goods. Starting the business alongside a job kept it in a manageable box. When the prospect of going full time became possible, we spent a year ramping up our efforts. Because we rent our spaces at antique and vintage malls as well as booth spaces at markets, we don’t have the high cost of commercial space that a brick and mortar store would.
The appeal of vintage and second hand has risen exponentially over the past few years and I’m here for it! The road has been fairly smooth, but I would have to say that since the pandemic, the number of vintage resellers has exploded which makes the hunt for goods more challenging than when we began. I feel my job is to rescue as much as I can for my shoppers, so I’m sourcing more places and going out of DFW to find our goods.
That being said, persistence and consistency breeds results. That applies to both procuring our goods as well as keeping up with all aspects of the business including the boring stuff like bookkeeping, inventory management, cleaning, and stocking our booth spaces.
As you know, we’re big fans of Reveille Rustics and Relics. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At Reveille Rustics and Relics, we take pride in sourcing unique and quality vintage décor and furniture. But we also love the quirky and unusual. Todd has created some amazing furniture pieces throughout the years that are one of a kind and so special. I have an affinity for art and have rescued so many great original paintings and prints. Having full walls of art in my spaces is a priority to me. Our carefully curated collections are showcased in our 3 booth locations and pop-up markets.
Through those avenues we give our customers a hands-on shopping experience that is more meaningful than click and add to cart. Our pieces have a story behind them that can resonate with a shopper. It can invoke a memory or just give off a good vibe. We believe in the power of vintage pieces to add character and charm to any space.
What does success mean to you?
My idea of success is growing a business that allows me to build relationships with fellow dealers, customers and suppliers. It’s also having the ability to serve my family and community because I manage my own schedule.. I believe that a rising tide lifts all boats. By sharing best practices, ideas and being a responsible business owner with a collaborative mindset, I hope I represent this industry well.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: HTTPS://instagram.com/reveillerustics
- Facebook: Https://facebook.com/reveillerustics
