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Discover Mid-America — September 2004

Late summer doldrums

What is it about the month of August and early September that makes both antique buyers, and sellers, totally indifferent, lethargic and apathetic?

Those of you who sit a shop 5-7 days a week know what I’m talking about. When this creeps up on me, I am constantly thinking of things I’d rather be doing.

The following is my Top Ten list of things to do:

• Call a long lost friend, close the shop and take a very long lunch.

• Go on an inventory-shopping spree and spend money you don’t have.

• Go visit another dealer to see how he is doing and then you can both try to go one-up on each other in knowledge, price and general inventory.

• Get on the Internet for hours on end...

• Clean the shop from top to bottom. Keep in mind this requires energy you could better use running the marathon.

• Run the marathon

• Watch the Olympics, or the reruns

• Call a regular customer and ask him or her to come visit the shop. When he or she arrives, lock the door and don’t let “your customer” out until something is bought.

If all of the above fail, keep in mind that Christmas is just a few months away and with all the money they’ve (customers) saved this summer, it should be a very good holiday season for you.

To those new to the antique business or are beginning collectors, my advice to you is to disregard the above suggestions, just hang in there, don’t lose your cool and remember me with fondness sometime in the future — we’ve all been there.

Syrma Sotiriou is the proprietor of The Treasured Scarab in Denver, and a regular contributor to Discover Mid-America. Contact her at (303) 777-6884.

> Antiquing in Colorado Archive — past columns