apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Steal the name of the Chicago store AT blogged about this morning: Patina.

auntie em's -- but only if you like the wizard of oz
chattels
bibelotphilia -- or bibelot by the bay
the knickknackery
the playpen of antiquity -- but only if you like really bad puns
a la bon gout
however my most serious suggestion is that if your name is, say, emily smith, you name your space emily smith.

Unitique
I also like using your name

Old And In The Way

I like Patina and Serendipity. Also, maybe something with the word "collective" in it mixed with your street name or the neighborhood you are in... like Mott St. Antique Collective, Noho Antiques, etc. (sorry, I don't really know the hoods in SF!)

How exciting, best of luck!

Sepia

How about Verdigre? It's that greenish color bronze or copper gets with age.

I have found myself less and less romantic as I approach 40. I work in the ad biz, so I am appreciating simplicity and directness these days. I'm wondering whether you're dealing in fine antiques or collectibles? I assume the latter if you've got a slot with a co-op.

Old Things
Experienced Stuff
Curiosities
New to You
Mixed and Matched
20th Century (my personal favorite of this list)

Best of luck!

If your personal name doesn't sound great as a store name (I know mine doesn't), try co-opting a historical sounding name...like Wharton Ware, or Heathcliffe, or something loosely associated with old money-like Emily Saks. People will instantly associate your shop with age, taste, and good breeding. Ha-ha-ha!

Good Old Things
Emily's Ephemera
Urns and Elephants

Around the Block
Old Made
Recollectives

The problem with clever suggestions is that they've mostly been done already... because they're clever.

Having hung out at antique stores since I was four, which is... well, it's enough years that I'd have to take my shoes off to even think about counting them up... never in my life have I remembered or even noted the business name of a stall holder, even if I bought from them often. So either name isn't all that important, or everyone's doing it wrong.

Make your stall visually memorable and call the business " Antiques." This lets you avoid the cost and trouble of filing a fictitious business name statement and lets you file your taxes with your own SSN instead of applying for a federal tax number. You do still have to trundle down to the state whats-it tax board and get a sales tax permit, but that's surprisingly non-onerous in San Francisco. (Also check if the city makes you have a business license.)

Thanks for all the great suggestions and good wishes! I've pretty much decided to go with Magpie Design, though Sam and Blitz Design, Pom Pom Design and Sing Sing Design were also top contenders. I think I'm influenced by the two-name surge in fashion labels these days like Rag and Bone or Alice and Olivia. Oh, and Wende, thanks for all the good advice. Yeah, I know I'm pretty much the only one who will actually notice the name . . .