BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Nearly 60 different vendors sell various antiques and vintage items at the Mill Creek Antique Mall in Downtown Bakersfield. And whether you’re looking for holiday decorations or a unique Christmas gift for a loved one, shopping small may work for you.
“They have things you probably wouldn’t be able to find in a bigger retail store so it’s always cool because you find things that you probably didn’t know existed," said Bakersfield resident Jehdiah Woodrow. "So it kinda makes you want to come back and say 'okay well if they have this now what else do they have' and you know just kinda going deeper into it.”
Woodrow says finding the little gems encouraged him to get back into shopping at places like Mill Creek Antique Mall more regularly.
Rick Freels says the demand for vintage shops motivated him to open his antique mall 13 years ago and he says the unique items on his shelves sets them apart from big retailers.
“You’re able to buy a quality product that’s been around for thirty, forty, fifty years or more and it’s still a good product. Still, a good item that’s stood time, and it’s probably going to be less expensive than going out and buying a new product that’s not going to last very long.”
And saving money has been a priority for consumers. With inflation at 7.7 percent, Freels says customers are spending less on small impulse buys.
“I’ve seen probably more larger purchases and less small purchases, so we’re holding our own because we’re still doing the sales."
Diane White says she started selling items at In Your Wildest Dreams after years of buying and selling antique items with her husband. She says she wants to sell items that remind people of their childhood while keeping prices low for consumers.
“We can’t compete with big stores. That isn’t our object. We’re here to have items, different items. Things that people don’t usually see, and so that’s what we think brings them in.”
Both White and Freels say shopping at stores like theirs can save consumers money, and it helps the individual vendors that sell at their locations. And Woodrow says he plans to continue shopping small even after Small Business Saturday.
“Just as much as any bigger retail business, it’s just as important if not more, you know, locally to those people who give you that unique experience and I think that should be enough motivation for anybody.”
Mill Creek Antique Mall and In Your Wildest Dreams are just two of the many small businesses in Bakersfield. For more information from the Downtown Business Association, visit their website.
