Vintage, retro at Full Circle
It’s not an antique store and it’s not a thrift shop – but it might be a mixture of the two.
In Full Circle Vintage and Retro, you’ll find Herman Miller designer chairs, 100-year-old breakfast nooks, art deco ice buckets and a 1960s hanging lily lamp. There’s a little bit from every decade.
“Everything has a character of some kind,” said owner Teresa Micek. “If people get rid of their things and cast them off, the better for me to dust them of and sell them to someone else.”
Micek’s shop isn’t your average antique store. Not only are there are items from the 1920s and 1930s, but there are also ashtrays from the 1970s, couches from the 1960s, and coffee pots from the 1950s.
“People’s interests are being piqued by retro, mid-century stuff,” Micek said. Spokane has a strong antique market, Micek said, but there is little in the way of pieces from post-1950 for collectors.
Many people are taken aback by noticing that items resembling those from their childhood are up for sale.
“I’ve had people come in and say, ‘I had this in my house, does that mean I’m old?’ ” she said.
Micek has been collecting modern antiques for about 21/2 years from around the area and on out-of-state trips.
“I’ve always been a junker and a thrift store shopper,” Micek said. She has worked in retail since she was 16, and only recently made the jump to owning her own business.
“Everyone dreams about owning their own business, so that’s what I decided to do,” she said.
Micek spends time checking out thrift stores and estate sales, and she always tries to respect other people’s collections.
“They probably spent a great deal of their life collecting these things,” she said. “I try to remember how they loved it, and to treat them with dignity and respect.”
Many of her items would otherwise be destined for the Dumpster, like a Herman Miller office chair that may appear outdated, but is actually worth hundreds of dollars.
“I think they’re all useful things that will find use someday,” she said. “Once this is gone, you can’t get this back. Hopefully people buy the furniture and take care of it.”
Full Circle Vintage and Retro is near Valley Hospital at 12307 E. Maxwell Ave.
Other business news
There’s a new Farmers Insurance Office serving the Valley. John Beck has opened an office at 9211 E. Mission Ave. From that location, he will provide services from Farmers Insurance, including auto, home, life and business insurance. His office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and also Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
A Valley family Mexican restaurant has changed it’s name. Formerly Los Sanchez, La Milpa is now open at 11519 E. Sprague Ave.