Winter 2012
Past. Present. Possible. By Becky Tyre

Repurposing vintage objects as display fixtures connects emotionally with customers.

In a tight economy, display props, fixtures and store decor need to serve multiple selling seasons. By choosing items that can be repurposed to display various types of merchandise, you can get the most out of your merchandising budget.

Re-use manufacturer-supplied displays. Spray paint or cover the display with fabric or scrapbook paper and use it for new products. Even cardboard point-of-purchase displays can easily be transformed into new seasonal displays by using themed gift-wrap paper.

Be resourceful. Consider items from attics, garages, yard sales and thrift stores. Spray paint a chair and hang it on the wall to create a shelf. An old bike makes a cute store window display. Old bottles and frames are great for jewelry displays. An old shutter or bifold door can display earring cards or sunglasses. Add sawhorse legs to an old door to make it a display table. Colanders and cheese graters are fun props for a gourmet area. Ironing boards are ideal for belts. Old metal utensils can be bent into display hooks. Shower curtains and tablecloths are ideal as window backdrops. Wine racks are perfectly suited to display taper candles, rolling pins or rolled bath towels.

Ignore any item’s intended or original use. Presenting the unexpected will attract customers causing them to linger at the display, viewing more of the merchandise. Using vintage items and recycling former displays adds charm to retail areas, eases your budget and saves a few more items from the landfill.

Present

A vintage stove evokes fond memories of Grandma’s house as it displays handcrafted candles that look good enough to eat.

Possible

An obvious choice for featuring gourmet foods and kitchen utensils, an old stove makes the ideal prop for a cookbook display

Past

The 1930s and 1940s were the glory decades for vintage stoves. O’Keeffe and Merritt took inspiration from the art deco trend to create shining masterpieces of porcelain and chrome. They have become cherished collectibles, so this one was a coveted yard sale find.

Present

Flip-flops and coordinated totes are easily contained and prominently displayed in an antique tub.

Possible

Fill the tub with rubber ducks or baby toys. For spring, use plastic grass and colored eggs.

Past

Traditionally the centerpiece of a farmhouse bathroom, a clawfoot bathtub becomes a gift store display vessel. Tubs are well suited to corral groupings of merchandise that tend to be unruly, like plush, toys and pillows.

Present

A wooden barrel becomes a makeshift treasure chest to fill with snacks as part of a wine display in a grocery store.

Possible

Line the interior with lush fabric to display shoes that sparkle, sequin handbags and jewelry made of mixed metals and jewel tones.

Past

For hundreds of years, stories have glamorized elaborately decorated treasure chests as being filled with a fortune in shimmering coins and jewels.

Present

Mounted on the wall, the slats are ideal for displaying women’s belts.

Possible

The rugged nature of this rack lends itself to a denim display. The jeans could be folded and hung across the rungs with a pair hung by a belt loop at either end.

Past

This oilcloth rack, most likely from the old Columbus Oil Cloth International, once based in Columbus, OH, would have been used to display oilcloth selections in the 1930s. It’s currently on display in Columbus, Texas.

Present

The three-inch squares of a wooden cola case are the perfect size for displaying wrap bracelets.

Possible

Belts, scarves or neckties can be rolled and placed in each opening, using the case in vertical or horizontal positions

Past

Wooden cola bottle racks originated in the 1940s when paper was in short supply due to the war. Most had 24 square openings and handles carved into the two shorter sides.

Present

Necklaces hang from the tines 
of vintage rakes. The pearls stand out nicely against the harsh metal of the farmer’s potato hook.

Possible

For a juxtaposition of soft and hard, scarves can be hung from the rakes.

Past

Old rakes come in many shapes and sizes. Popular in home decor, they make useful store props and are not difficult to find in vintage and antique stores.

Becky Tyre

Becky Tyre is the senior trends editor for GIFT SHOP Magazine and the owner of the Retail Details blog.




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