Meet the Owner: Sherry's Yesterdaze

Sherry King felt a boom was about to happen when she relocated her vintage clothing and housewares store to Seminole Heights in early 2004. The neighborhood was ripe for one, with a well-gentrified residential base, yet a commercial base that lagged well behind.

And so has held sway on Florida Avenue since, part of the area’s commercial profile that still has a lot of catching up to do, but has finally seen some real uptick in the last year or so.

“Maybe these things just take time,” said King, “until the word gets out. It took a younger demographic of business owners to come along and take the leap,” she said, referring to the entrepreneurs who have recently brought about new local gathering spots like Ella’s, the Refinery, and the Independent.

Sherry’s Yesterdaze began life at 1908 S MacDill Ave., in 1998. South Tampa’s notoriously high property taxes prompted King to move both her home address and business to Seminole Heights six years later.

Now King feels like her faith in Seminole Heights has been well-founded, if perhaps a tad premature. “It’s like in spite of the economy,” she said, “Seminole Heights is really coming along. And that vision I had for the neighborhood in 2004, I really feel like it’s coming to fruition.”

Sherry’s Yesterdaze
5207 N Florida Ave.
813-231-2020
etsy.com/shop/yesterdazed
facebook.com/yesterdazevintage

Yesterdaze’ niche: King said her store is unique among vintage and antique stores because 80 percent of her stock is consignment. “I find it an excellent way to get a nice fresh steam of excellent pieces.” And King added, “I do not carry any reproductions, because there are other stores in town who shall remain nameless who carry reproductions.”

A matter of semantics: “A lot of my inventory isn’t really antique,” King explained,  “it’s mid century modern. I specialize in the forties through the seventies.” King said to be considered antique, generally speaking furniture and housewares should be at least 100 year old, rugs 50 years, and clothing 20 years.

Why she favors mid century modern: “It touches people’s lives more. Not many of us can relate to things 100 years old because we didn’t have them in our lives. I always joking say that my shop is like a flash back without the drugs.”

Modern Yesterdaze: King also sells her stock online at etsy.com/shop/yesterdazed. “It’s mainly another way to advertise my store,” she said. “I sell a lot globally. I’ve been selling a lot to the U.K., Australia, lots of places outside the United States. Maybe because it’s our economy, because their dollar is strong against ours.”

Beauty is where you find it: Yesterdaze’ website features clothing models that King plucks right from her store’s aisles. “All my models are customers from the store,” King said. “It’s more than they just look good,” she said of her selection criteria. “They have to show a sense of style and a flair of their own. The cool thing is that everyone has their own sense of style, and they put together things that I normally wouldn’t do.”

Giving a little extra: King is currently treasurer of the Business Guild of Seminole Heights, or BGoSH, a neighborhood business booster she founded in 2005. It’s next general membership meeting is Sept. 29, at 6:30 p.m., at Tempus Projects, 5132 N/ Florida Ave.

Runs in the family: Sherry’s husband David Call co-owns , a furniture and home décor store that also specializes in mid century modern, a couple minutes north at 6415 N. Florida Ave.