Why shop at auction?

Lately here at Gateway Gallery Auction we have been sitting here racking our brains on why more young people don't shop at auctions. With the rising trend of vintage, upcycling, antiques, and thrift stores auctions would seem to be a natural shopping destination for young people looking to furnish their lives with quality goods on a budget. Although we have been seeing some younger faces how do we reach more? How can auctions capitalize on the vintage movement by young people across the country?

For our part, we have started an aggressive social media campaign to try to engage a younger generation. However, as a twenty- something, I really feel like our generation is missing out on some great finds because we are not really exposed to what an auction has to offer. I will readily admit that until I worked for Gateway Gallery Auction I had no idea how an auction worked or what they had to offer. The closest I have ever come to an auction experience was Ebay (its not the same thing as the real deal ladies and gentlemen, trust me). I am a lover of all things vintage and had I only known auctions were an available outlet, I probably would have gotten into this business a whole lot sooner.

Those who are really into the green movement should also really be behind buying things at auction. Instead of buying furniture at a big box store (which will likely fall apart in a few years and end up in a landfill) you could have a real piece of quality furniture that is built to last for the same price. This means less waste in our landfills. I have already posted about repurposing your auction finds to make them more personal for fit your needs. This is a huge movement these days and I wonder why more people aren't willing to take advantage of it.

Hopefully this new P.R. campaign can help us reach and bring in a new generation of auction enthusiasts, but its more than drumming up an online buzz, its about getting them in the door to experience all that an auction can offer them. We would love to start a dialog on how to reach the younger generations. I think we can all learn from each others experiences. Join our conversation by "liking" us on Facebook and following us on Twitter. You can also e-mail me, I would love to hear any suggestions!

What to do with your auction goodies

Sometimes its hard to see the diamond in the rough when looking at items from auctions. It is true that some items we end up with have seen their  better days. However, if you are able to look past the surface to see the hidden potential you may end up with a hidden gem. Some things need a little TLC to really come to life. If you're willing to put in a little work you can end up with a real treasure at a great price. Recently a group of photos of buggy seats landed upon my desk. Here is what the looked like when they were purchased. 

I'll be the first to admit, they don't look like much, but buyer brought them home and gave them a little work.

With a little love, TCL, and some simple tools, they were able to make beautiful bench. All from those old buggy seats! 

From this....

To this

Pretty amazing

All you need is a little elbow grease!

So next time you are thinking there is nothing at an auction that would interest you, remember to dig a little deeper and use your imagination. You never know what you might find and what you might end up with!

After a wonderful sale this past Monday, we are in the process of getting ready for our sale on Feburary 4th. We are all working very hard to make it a great one. Our upcomming sale will feature Guns, Coins, and Automobiles and Automotive Accessories.



Tiffany is working very hard on making our cases look amazing



Even Miss. Teagan is getting in on the action!

This auction is going have some amazing collectors items. I personally have had a chance to do some research on a few of the rare guns. Stay tuned for more updates on those!