Meet the Vendor: Ferguson's Finds Q + A

Welcome to the GypsyMoon Chronicles! We are so excited to share with you our dear friends- Colbi & Brandon from Ferguson’s Finds! This husband and wife duo is extremely talented and they have a “great eye”! We met them years ago at our 3rd and most rainiest GypsyMoon EVER! They were troopers and the fact that they are the sweetest people ever and incredibly talented made us want to have them back show after show! We just know you will love them as much as we do!

Grab your tickets to GypsyMoon Marketplace so you can shop with Ferguson’s Finds April 23 & 24!

How would you describe your business to someone you've never met? What products/services do you provide? Where and how can someone shop with you?

Ferguson's Finds is not your typical antique store! We offer items to suit a wide variety of styles including, farmhouse, industrial, primitive, retro, shabby chic, general store, and much more. Our curation includes advertising, general/country store pieces, furniture, and unusual one of a kind items.

My husband (Brandon) and I source all of our merchandise ourselves, through antique stores, auctions, sales, even Facebook marketplace!

We do not have a brick and mortar location, but we offer shopping opportunities at shows throughout the year and also sell online through sites like eBay and Etsy. Our main selling channel is through our Facebook and Instagram. If you see anything on there you are interested in, just send us a message and let us know! We offer shipping on most items and local pickup and delivery. Find all the places to shop us below!

When and how did your business first begin?

Ferguson’s Finds "officially" began in 2015, although Brandon had been junking since he was 10 years old!

(When he was young, he pulled a little red wagon through his neighborhood and loaded it up with all his yard sale finds!)

Brandon and I met at Murray State in 2012. I had always loved antiques and old stuff, so I starting riding along with him on picks and helping him sell at the local flea market. I finally convinced him to take his hobby to the next level when I created a Facebook page and it took off! I began applying for new and different shows and we have been junkin' together ever since!

What is your favorite thing about what you do?

Easy! People, places, and history hands down!

People- Everyone knows the American Pickers! They "travel the backroads of America looking for rusty gold", and so do we! (Side note- We have met Mike and have actually sold him several things throughout the years!) If you are familiar with their show, you know they are always meeting interesting characters. We love getting to know the people we buy from and hearing their story, but we also love getting to know our customers!

Places- We love road-tripping! We travel around the state of Kentucky, surrounding states and throughout the region to procure our finds! We get to explore some really neat places and towns as we pass through!

History- In order to appreciate these items, you have to appreciate the time they were created. These items take us back to simpler times. When you got a nickel to spend at the local five and dime, and you could pick any candy bar you wanted. When neon signs lit the streets. When grandma was in the kitchen wearing her apron, baking your favorite pie. Many of our items have a unique history that is interesting to learn about!

If you could go back in time to the beginning of your journey, what advice would you give yourself?

Colbi- Let go and let God! Stop stressing over the little things, everything will work out as it should.

Brandon- Marry Colbi sooner, so she could make my displays look nice.

You guys have such an eye for great vintage/antique pieces!

How do you know if something is worth getting?

That is a team effort! I look for pieces that I love, which isn't always the best way to shop for resale, because then I want to keep it all! I will have to admit though... Brandon has a pretty good eye when it comes to buying! He is definitely the money man though! He is constantly researching different markets and following what things are selling for. Brandon is also a licensed auctioneer, so he has a good advantage to monitor the market prices of a wide variety of items.

Since we do not have a storefront, the items we buy are catered to our outlets. For example, if we find something that is perfect garden décor at the right price... we buy it for GyspyMoon Spring Show! We try to buy smaller items for our online stores, as they are easier to ship. We buy vintage Christmas year round so we have the inventory for Christmas GypsyMoon!

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in selling antique/vintage items?

Brandon always says "You have to spend money to make money!" Search out unique items and find your niche. There are certain items that you will see in every single antique store. Be picky! Do not just buy something because you can make money on it. You have to buy items that fit your style.

It is also important to do your own research! It is ok to take a risk on an item and loose money, that is a teachable moment! A lot of people do not realize that buying the item is the easy part! Then you have to haul it, store it, clean it, inventory it, tag it, and then sell it! It is important that you take all that extra work into consideration when you are calculating your profits.

What is something that keeps you inspired & motivated with your business?

Brandon- The thrill of the hunt and finding something new! You never know what's out there!

Colbi- I love when customers send us pictures of our items in their house! It is so inspiring to see their creativity!

What are your hopes and dreams for your business in the future?

No matter how big of a space you have, it is never big enough! When we first started renting our storage warehouse it felt huge! We had plenty of room to park vehicles and our trailers in it, now it is difficult to even walk through! We would love to find a larger storage space that is more accessible. That way we could offer pop-ups and open to the public a few times a year.

We would also love to open a storefront! We have considered the idea and even looked at a few buildings, but where we both work full time, we would only be able to open on the weekends and that is usually when we are out buying! The future is exciting and we are looking forward to growing and expanding our business! We are always looking for new shows, so if you know of a show you think we would do good at please let us know!

What is your favorite thing about GypsyMoon Marketplace?

Brandon- BBQ Nachos, Pie Queen, and Whitnee's playlist

Colbi- I love to see how the event grows each year! New vendors, new shoppers, new demonstrations, it's always evolving! The fun and relaxed family-friendly atmosphere makes being a vendor so enjoyable! The grounds are absolutely gorgeous and the vendors are top notch.

What is some advice you would give to a new vendor at GypsyMoon Marketplace?

Colbi- Come prepared with plenty of merchandise! We generally bring extra pieces to keep in the trailer, that way when something sells we can refresh the booth or move items around to keep it from looking bare. Be friendly and attentive to your shoppers. Start a conversation with them!

Brandon-Get there early and get to know your customers!