Sharing her mother’s love for antiques growing up, Ginger Hanson has been shopping at Vintage Gifts & Antiques on Jones Road ever since she moved to Cy-Fair in 1995. The former accountant said she even had her 22-year-old son’s baby portraits taken at a photography studio that was once located on-site.
By January 2011, Hanson was among several independent dealers selling her own collection of finds at a space set aside for her within the store. The owner at the time approached her later that summer and asked if she would be interested in buying the business.
“I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, is she following me?’” Hanson said. “I was already at the time trying to find a shop to buy to expand on my own. It just fell into my lap right when I needed it.”
When she took over ownership, Hanson expanded the store’s team of dealers. Now the shop has more than 30 dealers at any given time and a waitlist of others looking to rent space.
Throughout the store’s three buildings and courtyard, customers can find more than 3,000 square feet of vintage and antique items including fine china, rustic yard art, jewelry, toys, furniture, kitchenware, decor and books. Inventory ranges in price from 50 cents to several hundred dollars.
“It’s the fun of shopping, passing things along and watching people get excited when they find something,” Hanson said. “I think that’s what keeps most every dealer in here going. Everything has a story.”
The shop also offers retail items, such as soy candles, essential oils, salsas, spices, teas and local honey. Hanson said the variety of merchandise appeals to a diverse audience—from children to 80-year-olds.
The dealers at Vintage Gifts & Antiques take turns working the shop and interacting with customers throughout the week. Hanson said the “co-op” concept allows each dealer to sell other dealers’ inventory, which creates more of a collaborative atmosphere than a competitive one.
“I’m an accountant by education, so it lets me run the business [and] have my creative outlet,” she said. “It’s a lot of work, and you have to love it because nobody gets rich in here. It’s the fun of the hunt and the thrill of the find.”
11503 Jones Road, Houston
281-897-9577
www.facebook.com/vintagegiftsantiques
Hours: Sun.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
