Woman Turns Hobby Into Business with ‘Vintage Shoppe’

For as long as she can remember, Liz Arcuri’s passion has been taking old, neglected items and turning them into something beautiful.

Eight months ago while walking through a Goodwill store in Crofton, she found an old, Colonial-style side table.

“It was $4 but I knew it was worth something. It was in mint condition—not a scratch on it,” Arcuri said.

After getting the table inspected by experts, she learned the item was worth approximately $700.

Arcuri, of Edgewater, had already decided she was done enjoying her hobby alone. She’ll be opening on Mayo Road on June 1. The vintage/retro store will focus on bringing back the “old-time warmth” of yesterday to neighborhood homes.

Located at Cut Loose Hair Salon’s old space, Arcuri is sharing the unit at 200 Mayo Road with another new business, Once Again, a second-hand shop offering items for families shopping on a budget.

Arcuri and Once Again’s owners, Jan Wisooker and Kelley Burcham, agree the partnership is a natural fit.

While may be the newest provider of vintage items in Edgewater, it’s a project nearly 10 years in the making, Arcuri said.

“[Collecting vintage/retro items] has always been a passion of mine—my whole life. It’s a hobby that turned into a business.” Arcuri said. “I just really enjoy giving [vintage items] new life and making them beautiful. It just adds a lot of warmth to a home.”

Prior to opening , Arcuri worked in estate sales and also designed her own handbags. Now, as a local business owner in her community, Arcuri said the real delight of her job comes when she sees her restored items go home to a new location.

Decorating homes with vintage- and retro-themed trinkets is becoming more and more popular, Acuri said. A new but very popular website, Pinterest.com, allows users across the globe to share styles and many posts specifically reflect the retro-style offered in The Vintage Shoppe.

“[Retro and vintage] items are the hot new thing, but I’ve been doing it for 20 years,” Arcuri said.

In addition to decorative items and furniture, the new business owner said she plans to offer a large selection of vintage and formal jewelry. In fact, it’s one of the things she’s most excited about.

The Vintage Shoppe is set to open June 1 and will maintain a schedule of Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.