Shop Talk is a weekly column featuring locally owned and operated businesses. This week, we talk to Robin Ballo of Deer Run Collectibles in Unadilla.
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How long have you lived in the area?
We bought the farm in 1988 and I moved up full-time in 1995.
Tell me about your business:
I'm a seasonal business, open April through November or December.
When I started out, I was only allowed to have the milkhouse, which is a very tiny area. We had a lot of stuff we needed to get rid of, so I opened up a little gift shop with used items and collectibles. My whole family had an antique background _ we knew the value of the tried-and-true things that have lasted all these years.
In 2006, I expanded the back of the barn to incorporate gently used furniture. It's evolved into a consignment store _ many of my items are from consignors who might want to get rid of a few pieces. Most of it is pretty unique stuff. It's mostly bedroom, dressers, dining-room tables, that sort of thing. I don't really do a lot of upholstered furniture. I really enjoy having the consignors, because it's other people's input and taste
We've started a great fall decor business as well. We have pumpkins, gourds, any fall decor and food on my farm. We sell mums; we're doing pick-your-own-pumpkins and the kids come out, so that's a lot of fun. We're just trying to have fun with the shop, provide some entertainment and something local to do for anybody in the family. We have military paraphernalia, collections of glassware, dishes, my mother makes some fall decor flower arrangements, things like that.
Describe a typical day in your business:
I'm only open on weekends _ I work as a full-time dental hygienist, so I'm open Friday through Sunday for regular hours. It's fairly quiet during the summer, but my typical day during September is that people are coming and going a lot. I help them decorate their interiors, their front yards and so on. The greatest is when I have one or two generations of the same family walking through, and the stories that come out are just great.
Where do you see this business in five years?
I have a huge barn that this is all taking place in. Right now the shop is in the bottom where the cows were, and I have a full upstairs that I would love to rent out spaces or just expand and who knows where that would go, whether it be artisans or whatever.
I would like to expand the shop because it's a great location. I'm a little bit off the beaten path, but people seem to find me.
Describe a memorable moment in your workplace:
I think God has blessed my little shop. I was puttering around one day, and there were two women here in their late 60s. They were walking around and all of a sudden I heard this gasp. I thought I was going to have to call 911. I ran down to the middle of the barn where the woman was standing and she said, "Oh my God, I've been looking for one of these for 30 years." It was a vintage body form on wheels. She was on a fixed income, so I suggested that I put it on layaway. This woman paid faithfully every month and the day that I delivered it to her, she was just the happiest woman you have ever seen. What I did for her was complete a dream for her, and that was just great. There's many stories like that where I've completed someone's collection.
What have you learned from your work?
To listen to what the people have to say. With the two great offices I've worked at for the last 21 years, the practice that I work in, we've always focused on service. I've learned to be quiet and listen and really offer great service _ don't try to talk them into things that they're not interested in. I've applied that to the way I make my living. It really is great. My business is not just a business _ we've created some great relationships and friendships.
What is the hardest thing you have to do?
Trying to be open enough to accommodate the people coming and going. It's a guessing game. Two years ago on a Christmas Eve, I went downstate to visit my parents, thinking nothing would happen, and I left a friend at the shop who worked for me. I ended up on the cell phone the whole time. So then the next year I'm thinking, "Christmas Eve is going to be busy," and it was dead. You just never know how it's going to go.
The most enjoyable?
The people _ the interactions with all the people in the area. It's an eclectic mix of personalities, and we have some great people who are up here. The community's wonderful.
What are some advantages/drawbacks of doing business in this area?
The drawback is, even though I'm on a state highway, I'm not on a much-traveled road. There's not a lot of through traffic. I joke and say, "I'm the best-kept secret in Delaware County."
But it's really about connecting to the community _ it's not just business. We get to know the personalities of the buyers. It's fun and it always evolves.
What sets you apart from your competitors?
I think because the barn is right on my home property, the homey feel of it attracts people. My home does extend to my shop, so it's connected to my personal life.
What advice would you give to someone trying to enter your field of work?
I absolutely encourage it, because the more, the merrier. Just like a party, if you invite one person, you might as well invite 12.
Everyone has a different taste and different flairs. That's the American way _ to show your own personality. I would say, just provide good service and be people-oriented, and you'll do fine.
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To suggest a business for Shop Talk, contact Emily F. Popek at 432-1000, ext. 255, or epopek@thedailystar.com.
