How LaRouxVintage got started
Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?
My name is Erika, and I’ve been running La Roux Vintage since 2008 (where does the time go?!). I have been an avid hunter of antiques since I was a teenager, and at La Roux Vintage, I offer my favorite treasures from the 1900s–1980s with a focus on timeless home goods—books and barware, teacups and tablecloths, room accents, and rustic oddities. My specialty is mid-century umbrellas!
I grew up in a small town in Connecticut that happened to be host to the largest weekly flea market in New England, The Elephant’s Trunk. I developed a deep love and appreciation for antiques and vintage goods as I spent many a sunny weekend wandering the rows of tables. My style has been constantly evolving over the years, but when finding treasures, I look for the quality of craftsmanship, condition, how rare or sought-after an object is, its usefulness (or potential usefulness if it can be repurposed), and a timeless sense of style. I hope there are others like me—those with a budget but a passion for all things old—who can find something that speaks to them and helps make their space feel more like home. I love making people happy; it's what I strive to do in my daily life and with my Etsy shop. I still primarily buy at flea markets but also hit up all my local thrift stores, charity shops, and estate sales, and sometimes source from fellow vintage dealers here in the Somerville, MA area! My grandmother also loves to make sure I take home a box of antiques every time I visit; apparently, her mother was an avid antique collector too, and she’s eager to get her treasures into new loving homes! I guess it runs in the family.
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
My favorite item I’ve ever had was probably a 1950s floor-length silk party dress. It was the perfect wiggle dress, perfectly tailored to hug every curve, and the entire bodice was covered in delicate floral embroidery. If it had fit me better, it would still be living in my closet! But my overall favorites are the umbrellas. I personally collect mid-century Polan Katz Touch N Go umbrellas (made for just one year, they have an incredible mechanism for opening that works by pushing them against the ground; they then close with a sonic snap at the push of a button!) So the umbrellas in my shop are just the ones I can bear to part with from my personal collection. I’m also incredibly excited to have the opportunity to offer a rare pair of original Dorothy Thorpe lucite candle holders. It’s such a treat to stumble across truly rare and collectible decor items that would become statement pieces in any room.
Getting sales on Etsy
How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?
I believe I had my first sale within a week of opening my Etsy shop; from that point on, I had perhaps a sale every week or two. I was still in high school! Over the past decade and a half, my shop has sailed up, down, and over the waves of commerce. I was once (unknowingly!) featured in Vogue Australia as a shop to check out for holiday gifts. Suddenly, my sales skyrocketed, and I was sending out dozens of international orders. Other times, such as when I was earning my college degree and working three part-time jobs, my shop could have crickets for weeks. I was incredibly honored to sell props for some of my favorite television shows, including Mad Men and The Marvelous Ms. Maisel. What I’ve always found was that the more time I spent refreshing my shop with new listings, the more eyes were able to find them. Nowadays, I find new customers primarily through Instagram, although we do have a Tik Tok as well, which has occasionally excited a few new folks. I am part of a team on Etsy called Vintage and Main, made up of a handful of amazing vintage dealers from around the world. We often share our stories and trials as we navigate the ever-changing world of online sales. I also set up shop in person locally here in Somerville, MA, for many years with the Somerville Flea and more recently for occasional pop-up events at Bow Market. I love in-person events; it’s a chance to connect with fellow antique lovers and learn about their lives, their collections, and their adventures!
Managing LaRouxVintage
How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?
I’m the sole owner and employee of La Roux Vintage, but I don’t know where I’d be without the support of my (now) husband Allan over the past 12 years. He has attended almost every in-person market with me and always does the heavy lifting; he has gotten up at the crack of dawn to join me in my flea market adventures; he has posed for countless photos holding a particularly heavy or tricky antique item destined for my shop; he has alternately been my photographer, my editing assistant, and my cheerleader. I use a digital camera for most of my photography and a smartphone for the majority of my social media posts; I use an ancient copy of Photoshop and a desktop Mac for my Etsy listings; and I have a dedicated packing table in my house to prep items for shipment. I’m fortunate that I started my professional career as a rare book shipping employee, so I was taught (and learned through years of shipping for my shop) all the ins and outs of shipping fragile items. I’m professionally trained!
The future of LaRouxVintage
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
For me, La Roux Vintage began as a way to fund my favorite hobby, antiquing. There have been times in the past when my sales were nearly enough to cover my monthly expenses, and on occasion, I considered leaving my day job to run my Etsy shop full-time. I think that’s still the hope and dream—that one day I might run a cute little coffee shop that happens to have shelves of antiques available for purchase while you enjoy a croissant. I’d love for it to be a one-stop community gathering place where neighbors can pick up some locally grown flowers, small-batch coffee beans, a morning pastry, and perhaps an antique teacup to gift to their best friend. For now, I’m enjoying finally having a dedicated office in my home to keep things running smoothly with my Etsy shop.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
The best piece of advice I was ever given was to ‘never be afraid to do a bad drawing'. It sounds silly, but so often we let the perfect get in the way of the good enough. Don’t wait until you have the perfect photo equipment, a huge stock of inventory, or the best new computer to work from. Just put in the time and effort every day, working with the resources and tools you have, and that consistent effort more than anything will help you grow and succeed. Also, never forget to have fun! It’s a huge market and difficult to get found on the internet, but reaching out and connecting with other sellers who have similar tastes can lead to all sorts of learning opportunities, new sales ventures, and lifelong friendships!
Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.
Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: Typically around $400–700, with some higher spikes during major market events in the summer and fall.
Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: A rough estimate is about 50%; I try to buy at about 1/3rd of retail price, and the margin gets reduced a bit by other operating expenses.
