When their sons played on the same Little League team last year, Rachel Adams and Rhetta Young realized they had something else in common: a penchant for collecting old and funky things.
The store, which opened in January, occupies two floors of a building next door to Shamrock Kitchen. It features antique furniture the women purchased over the years at estate sales, antique shows and specialty shops, and offers a range of accessories, including candles, lamps and frames.
"The name is a bit of an oxymoron," said Adams, who created it by combining two refrigerator magnets that had the words "junk" and "studio."
The inventory, most of which came from the partners' garages to start, really isn't junk at all, they said. The name actually speaks to the eclectic and unique nature of what they are selling.
"Once people come in to the store, they get it," Adams said.
Though Adams is new to the retail business, Young said she previously owned Summer Cottage on Huddleston Road in Peachtree City. She closed the shop several years ago, opting to sell some of her treasures at antique malls on the Southside.
"I didn't think I would ever want a business partner," said Young, "but Rachel and I just clicked."
"We are very like-minded," added Adams. "We have the same vision."
The partners chose Tyrone, they said, because of its proximity to Atlanta and the town's growth potential.
"We were looking for a growing area with high traffic," Young said. "This area also has an old-town appeal."
With several antique stores in Sharpsburg and Bennett's Antiques down the road in Tyrone, the partners said they are hoping that Fayette and Coweta counties will become a destination area for antique shoppers.
"I can come down to this area from Atlanta and spend a day shopping for antiques," Young said.
What's more, antique prices outside of Atlanta are generally lower, Young said. A hand-painted buffet that Junk Studio has priced for $795 would likely sell for $3,000 in Atlanta, she said.
Adams said the partners would eventually like to grow their business with a second location in Charlotte, where her sister lives. They also recently listed Junk Studio as an eBay store, where they sold eight out of 10 items in a week's time.
In addition to its own inventory, Junk Studio leases space to 10 other vendors and collectors interested in selling their antique finds or homemade creations. The store takes 10 percent of all sales from its vendors.
Thelma Rockhold, a Stockbridge resident, said she was inspired to rent space from Young and Adams once she saw their business plan, which described the store as selling unique furniture, decor and gifts. Rockhold sells handmade pillows, jewelry and wreaths under the name Casa Couture.
"There are so many furniture stores you can go to, and they all pretty much sell the same thing," Rockhold said. "Any time you have a boutique, you'll find one-of-a-kind items."
(DONNA SOPER)
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