Shop local. Minimize your carbon footprint. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Yes, yes, you say, that’s all well and good. But it’s the holidays for goodness sake! And you want to shop till you drop, don’t you?
Well, thanks to a little shop in Bixby Knolls, you can indulge in your gift-giving passion without sacrificing your higher, dare we say more noble, desire to tread lightly on our earth.
Monique Johnson, owner of Sweet Treasures Home, has developed a reputation for transforming what she calls “trash to treasure,” expertly blending an eclectic inventory of vintage house wares and linens with new boutique and gift items. The result is a charming invitation to browse and discover affordable treasures that are suitable for gift giving or to take home to add to your own home’s décor. And in case you hadn’t considered this yet, vintage is the new “green.” It’s all about reduce, reuse, recycle.
Johnson’s talents in transforming discarded and yard-sale furniture into chic must-have décor has blossomed into one of Sweet Treasures’ most sought-after businesses. Giving a boost to the store’s retail sales, Sweet Treasures now offers complete reupholstering services along with furniture repair, painting or staining. At Sweet Treasures Home, reuse is smart, affordable and chic.
“We began offering our ‘trash to treasure’ furniture service this summer because our customers kept asking us to assist them,” said Johnson. Whether simply desiring a makeover with a coat of antique white, red or black paint, or completely rebuilding a sofa, customers are finding new life for their furniture through Johnson’s services. “Customers can bring in pictures of heirloom pieces or looks that they want us to recreate,” said Johnson.
Sweet Treasures Home has also become a source for interior designers, to whom Johnson offers services at a discount, as well as for realtors who have called on Johnson for staging services and preparing homes for open houses.
“Diversifying our services has allowed us to weather the ups and downs of our retail business and stay in Bixby Knolls,” explained Johnson. “Our business continues to evolve in response to what our customers are telling us they want.”
This evolution includes bringing in different retail lines to test what is popular. Since opening two years ago, Johnson has increased her inventory of vintage and vintage-inspired items. One of the most popular recent additions has been vintage-inspired crosses. “I can barely keep them in stock,” said Johnson.
Vintage linens, towels and napkins are also popular, as well as lovely linen-water spray, that may be used instead of starch for ironing, or simply to freshen sheets between washes.
Sweet Treasures is not only a locally owned business, but it is a family affair. Johnson’s sister Vanessa Camacho has been working with Monique for the past four years and is a driving force behind some of the expanded product lines, including luxury bath and body products, which includes a new line of bath gels and lotions that are sold in vintage decanters. They are also testing an expansion into select gourmet food products.
“Our vision is to grow Sweet Treasures Home into a local alternative to Z Gallery, Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn,” said Johnson. “We keep reinventing ourselves to establish a niche that works in this neighborhood.”
With a superb eye for value, trends, merchandising and a willingness to get to know their customer’s preferences, Johnson and Camacho are proving that even in an uncertain economy, its possible to keep moving forward with a vision for the future. And for Sweet Treasures Home, an important part of that future is what has been created in the past , whether discarded furniture or customer satisfaction.
