Continuing to grow

MT. PLEASANT - Within a year of opening, Perfectly Vintage, an antique store that now sits on the east side of the square, has made the move to a new and larger location.

Owner Lisa Kalkbrenner opened her shop on Aug. 1 of last year, something she had been dreaming of doing. After leaving a position with Walmart Transportation, where she worked for 24 years, she decided to take the leap and become a business owner.

'I had to do something so this is what I decided on,” she said.

The first-time business owner had 'no idea what [she] was doing,” as she started out. Before opening her own store, Kalkbrenner sold to several shops in town for three or four years before going on her own. Most of her items are collected at auctions and sales.

'I just found a place, filled it up and learned as I went,” she explained.

As she found her footing, Kalkbrenner quickly outgrew her first store on the north side of downtown and made the move to her new location in May.

'I needed more space,” she said. Her new sprawling storefront has room for not only more items but displays as well. Currently, one of Kalkbrenner's favorite items is a 14-foot table, which would have been more difficult to fit at her old location.

Though the transition has been fairly smooth, Kalkbrenner recognizes she chose an unexpectedly difficult year to go into business. During the shutdowns, the antique store owner mainly kept busy by getting the new location ready with painting and cleaning.

'I made the most of the shutdown that way,” she said.

'The first year is always hard. The virus was also tough but everyone was kind of on the same boat … Hopefully there's a light at the end of the tunnel of all of this,” she said.

In particular, the community of business owners as well as resources provided by the Main Street organization have been helpful to Kalkbrenner. Fellow antique store owners in town have been helpful in answering questions as well as providing examples of paperwork Kalkbrenner may need. The store owner added the community has been great at showing up and supporting her small business and others around the area.

Despite the challenges, Kalkbrenner enjoys being in business, especially as an antique store.

'I just love antiques. I like old stuff, I like the history, I like the character,” she said. Though she claims to be no expert, Kalkbrenner usually has an eye for a variety of vintage items including ones in farmhouse, traditional and '50s style.

'I try to stick with things I like. I have a mix of mainly vintage and some new that accentuates the vintage,” she said.

'I like buying things but sometimes it's hard to let go,” she added, with a laugh.

Kalkbrenner said she's excited to continue growing and to see what comes in the future. Her favorite part of opening up her own store thus far has been 'meeting fun people,” and hopes to continue to do so as people feel comfortable venturing out following the pandemic.

'It's just a dream of mine. I get to meet fun people and buy antiques. I can do things the way I want to,” she said.