Upon walking through the doors of local thrift and antique shop Feathered Nest, you hear music reminiscent of the 1960s and 70's, while also seeing plethora of vintage items decades old filling up the shop. This creates an aesthetic reminiscent of your grandma’s closet.
Feathered Nest is a consignment shop that opened on March 8. Located in Cayce, the shop provides a range of items from many thrift and antique vendors, including clothing, home decor, jewelry and everyday items, said owner Tracy Dolenti.
Dolenti said she and her husband opened Feathered Nest after relocating to South Carolina from southwest Florida three years ago, looking to create a new life in the area.
“We felt like this area needed a little bit more because part of the street was empty,” Dolenti said. “And we felt that with the neighboring neighborhood here, that they could use a nice shop to go to in this area.”
Dolenti said she previously owned a consignment shop with a similar style in Florida. Feathered Nest is arranged into smaller storefronts belonging to many vendors.
Dolenti hand-selects the items that are displayed throughout the store, primarily being based around all types of vintage items, she said.
"We hand-pour candles, handmade soap. I mean, there's a lot of different items under one roof, but our main focus is really more like vintage," Dolenti said.
She said a variety of products that are sourced from all around the state makes Feathered Nest unique, as consignment stores usually focus on one type of product.
On April 3 at Feathered Nest, this booth is one of the only clothing booths in the store, featuring many feminine dresses, shoes and handbags for the ladies going into the warmer months.
“We have some other shops at the end of the road, but they’re mainly focused on antique or just furniture. So we wanted to have a little bit of everything.”
Dolenti said having an array of vendors is important to keeping the store items distinct. Vendor Kimber Brazell said vendors can rent booths in the store by paying $125 for a booth and giving 10% of sales to Dolenti.
Brazell is a mother of three and owns a farm. She sells a variety of items such as young children's clothing, eggs from her farm and framed paintings and photos. She said she sells to stores because of her love for thrifting.
"It's kind of like my outlet ... It's better to have a thrift day and coffee with my girlfriends than it is for me to go and spend hundreds of dollars on a trip because that's not where I'm at right now," Brazell said.
At Feathered Nest, each vendor is given options as to where they want their items to be located in the store, potentially affecting future sales, Brazell said.
Brazell said each section of the two rooms are chosen by vendors, as each vendor brings something different to the store.
She said she goes all around to find the best items for her shop, from estate and church sales to leaving South Carolina to fit the style she's aiming for.
"It's really just an outlet for creativity, for you to bring in whatever suits you," Brazell said. "I think (Dolenti) is going for more of an antique storefront, but you never know what people are looking for."
Brazell said she and her business partner and friend Jen Landers split their booth. Landers does the social media promotion of their items and sells her own handmade earrings.
Bonnie Smith, another vendor for Feathered Nest, said each consignment store is different. She also sells at Thrifty Treasures and Palmetto Thrift.
“Some items I can just pick up and say, ‘That one will do well in that shop, or that one will do (well in that shop).’ Each shop has its own clientele and personality to them,” Smith said.
Brazell and Smith both said they enjoy the process of searching for items for each store the most, comparing it to a treasure hunt.
“I love finding the fun things and cleaning them up, and restoring them and displaying them,” Smith said. “Sometimes I’m sad to see them go, but then on the other hand, I’m thrilled to see them go.”
Dolenti said she and her husband have achieved their primary goal while first moving in: to provide a “homey” vibe for their customers.
“We wanted people to be comfortable when they come in here, not your typical bright box retail,” she said. “We wanted people to feel comfortable, look around and take their time.”