Center Stage: Wise Apple Vintage 8

Name: Nikki McIntosh
Age: 28 (but with an old soul)
Tell us a fun fact about you:
While thrifting and treasure-hunting gets my heart racing like nothing else, my second love is music. I play keyboards and sing in a local indie-rock band and love making loud, crazy tunes with my pals.

How long have you been selling on Etsy?
I first tried my hand at selling vintage on Etsy in 2008, but it only lasted a few months and I think I had a total of about three sales. Then, in January of last year (after a string of extremely unfulfilling secretary jobs), I decided to give it another try – this time with a bit more determination and commitment!

How did you choose your shop name?
Since my last name is McIntosh, sometimes people call me ‘Nikki Apples’. A friend of mine that likes using archaic phrases once called me a ‘wise apple’ and I thought the name was perfect for my shop!

How or why did you become involved with vintage?
I’ve been in love with the 50s and 60 for as long as I can remember. Even as a kid growing up in the 80s, I was listening to Buddy Holly, watching old MGM musicals, and collecting little vintage knick-knacks to decorate my room. By the time I was in middle school I had a Mary Tyler Moore flip haircut and wore nothing but vintage embroidered cardigans and polyester button-ups (much to my mother’s dismay). I often wonder if maybe I just wasn’t born at the wrong time…

What sort of items are you drawn to as you stock your shop?
I’m mostly drawn to housewares from the fifties and sixties – what an incredible time for design! Even every day objects from that time period seem to have an understated elegance – while still maintaining a willingness to step outside the box and have a little fun! Bright colors, simple lines, natural wood, and bold, organic shapes all combine seamlessly to make objects that are both functional and fashionable! I know the phrase ‘they don’t make them like they used to’ is used an awful lot, but when I see vintage home goods sitting on thrift store shelves next to their more current, mass-produced counterparts – well, I can’t help but agree!

What has been your best/favorite experience so far in selling on Etsy?
My favorite part of selling on Etsy is hands down the incredible people I’ve met. Ladies and fellas from all over the world are flexing their creative muscles on Etsy, and it’s so much fun to see what people come up with! Even more incredible to me is the kindness, understanding, and helpfulness of pretty much everyone I’ve come across. I can totally see how people can become cynical in today’s fast-paced world – it seems everyone’s looking out for themselves and can’t quite see beyond the end of their own noses (or iphones!)… and then there’s the crazy and wonderful world of Etsy, where people go out of their way to offer guidance, friendship, support, and awesomeness! I know it sounds cheesy, but it makes me feel more optimistic about humanity in general every single time I experience the incredible camaraderie of Etsy sellers and supporters!

What has been your most fantastic find- either one you have sold or one you have kept for yourself?
Charles and Ray Eames are absolutely my favorite designers of all time, and last year I found an incredible vintage reproduction of their iconic lounge chair and ottoman for only $75. I never in a million years thought I’d ever be able to afford to have one of these babies in my house – but thanks to my local Goodwill, I can and do! The cat is the only one that sits in it, though – hubby and I tend to just stand and gaze at it dreamily – haha!