Name: Heidi Williams
Business Name: Eyes of an Owl
Personal bio: Grew up in Lake Havasu City – but left as soon as I graduated to attend The University of Arizona. I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science Business Administration (BSBA) – with an emphasis in Human Resource Management. I am the middle child with an older and younger brother. It’s really hard to pinpoint a particular “hobby” but if collecting vintage glass and FiestaWare are hobbies, than those two definitely count!
How did you start your business & why? I worked in corporate America for about 10 years and a consultant after my daughter was born. I decided to quit my job and essentially put my career on hold after my daughter was born because my husband and I felt this was important. I didn’t realize my love for vintage until we moved into a home built in the ’60s. I thought it might be fun to have a few vintage items in our home. A friend of mine gave me a piece of vintage glass and it was love at first sight! My adventure began by searching for this glass to add to a collection I had started. Then, I began to see other vintage items – home decor, furniture, and household items. The very first vintage piece of furniture I bought was at a local thrift store – and it needed lots of loving! It had been in a fire and smelled of smoke. My daughter (who’s always been a person who rescued the old and made them new again) helped to restore this lovely piece. Ever since that point, I have loved finding a piece that had good bones but needed a bit of a facelift or modernization.
How would you best describe your style and the items you sell? I would describe my style as Mid-century/Modern – emphasizing in the ’70s. I do love things I find from the ’50’s and ’60s but my real love is the ’70s. I typically sell mid-century furniture (mostly small items such as desks, shelving, end tables, etc.) I feel like my specialty right now is vintage carts! I love the bar carts from this era and typically paint them bright colors. But I’ve been known to fix up dressers as well! I love to find the unique, funky things that seem to jump out at me. Bright colors and flowers are always things I love to find. And, for some reason, I really love trays – really any type of tray – because they are typically colorful and unique.
When was your first Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market? I attended my first JITT in the Fall of 2013 and loved it! So, I decided to be a vendor to see if I could sell some of the things I had been collecting. So, the first JITT where I was a vendor was May 2014 – and I loved it!
And what is your favorite part about the event? Or a favorite memory? My absolute favorite thing about the event is the vendor relationships! I instantly made friends and business contact that I’ve carried with me. I love the family-like atmosphere and enjoy seeing with others have created or found.
What’s your favorite place to get away in the summer? My family loves to head to San Diego to hit the beach or have fun at Legoland. Always hard to come back!
Thank you so much for sharing Heidi! Head over to Facebook to check out Eyes of an Owl and see what she is prepping for the market!
