Today we’d like to introduce you to Astrea Fatica.
Hi Astrea, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up with antiques. Seriously. When I was little, I was given the “honor” of polishing the chair legs in the living room (I sure fell for that one!). As I got older, I was “allowed” to polish the silver, which was rather fun. My parents let me tag along at estate sales and auctions (Selkirks was a favorite), which was educational and so addictive. Fast forward through college, graduate school, and marriage to a wonderful man, who also happened to appreciate antiques… We have furnished five homes in succession with a mixture of antiques and new and not so new, as finances and tastes allowed. Or life with three children allowed! As the children got older and I had more time, I found myself still hitting the antique stores for treasures. The house was full to overflowing and I finally asked Al if he could handle it if I opened a booth at one of the local malls. He agreed. That was in 2016. I learned, made lots of mistakes, made friends, got to know my customers, and the market, and kept at it. I added a booth at Evelyn’s Antiques in Schulenburg. When The Antique Center started faltering, and Evelyn’s went through an ownership change, I asked Al if I could open my own store in Schulenburg. Again, he agreed and we purchased the building at 402 Anderson. With Helen, the former manager at Evelyn’s, and with the help of another dealer, Michele, together we created what was to become The Engle Emporium. We have 6000 square feet of sales space in two buildings (the house and the barn) along HW77, 26 dealers, and a fluxuating number of consignors.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Smooth? No. Scary and fun? Yes. Self-doubt is a powerful thing. The Engle Emporium probably wouldn’t have happened if Helen had not been there to hold my hand through it all, and if Michele had not been there to add her energy and determination. We gathered dealers from Schulenburg, Houston, and all the way from Maine, focusing on a broad range of offerings and price points. The sales started out slowly but gained momentum. We got to know and enjoy the customers and created a place that was accepted by the Schulenburg community. Everything was going great until Michele had to step aside and Helen announced that she had cancer. Things started to fall apart. But Helen got better. We hired more staff, and all was fine until Helen got sick again. And died. She was an integral part of the store, but more importantly a friend. If it were not for the EE family, the group of dealers and staff and loyal customers that had bonded, the store would have failed. It was a rough, rough time. We regrouped, added more staff, and muddled through, only for me to be diagnosed with cancer within ten months of Helen’s death. The dealers and staff and local friends carried the store, which makes me forever grateful. As individual dealers and staff deal with their own health problems, the EE family is there for them. We broke the rule about keeping business just business. We truly are a family. Working together, we are going strong and are enjoying the challenges, while trying not to giggle too much behind the counter.
As you know, we’re big fans of Quillie and Braid. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Quillie and Braid is my antiques business within The Engle Emporium. It confuses people when I moan about having to pay rent for my booths! I carry furniture, art, ethnic items, and anything cool or interesting that catches my eye. I have a severe weakness for hand-made rugs, particularly braided and hooked rugs, and baskets. Anything folk art is a big draw and the weirder a carved wooden item is, the better. I love the larger pieces of furniture, mostly English and American, which are so beautifully made. If I have a specialty, it is probably finding weird, one-off pieces of furniture.
Part of the fun of being in the antiques business is traveling and collecting along the way. My main hunting ground is in Maine. I once drove a 26′ box truck to bring back my purchases from there. That alarmed family and friends enough that Al has designated himself as my official driver for subsequent trips south. We almost got divorced before we hit the state line that first time when he announced that we could make the trip to Texas in three days if we went through Louisiana. I explained that I did not wish to go through Louisiana and wanted to shop along the way since there was still room in the truck. A marital discussion ensued. We ended up taking five days and ran out of room in Jackson, TN. There were so many lovely shops along the way! Our latest agreement is that he drives the truck and trailer by himself and I am free to fill my SUV with smalls along the way. He is such a patient man!
What makes you happy?
Behind the scenes, we have a good time and joke and plot and strategize, but the real delight is the customers. Each person coming in the door has a story. Sometimes they come in and then leave without a word. Other times they come in sheepishly, admitting that they are just there to stretch their legs. That is fine with us! The best is when a customer comes in and is looking for something specific and we have what they want. Or we know where they can find it at another shop. It confuses customers when we recommend other shops. I am fine with supporting other businesses. Making customers happy makes us happy. I jokingly refer to the business as a matchmaking/dating service between antiques and customers!
We happened to have china pieces in a rare pattern that one woman was collecting. Her smile was memorable! Or the time we were able to sell a portrait of Father Kline back to a parishioner of his church. We have a long list of items that people are looking for. I have one customer who collects all things presidential. Being able to text a photo of a likely item from some obscure rural shop to him that meets his approval is a big win. The hunting is fun!
Every once in awhile, I will wind up our Victrola and couples have been known to dance. I did accidentally make a grown man tear up, once, when I invited him to listen to a phonograph, which I had purchased from him and had restored. The flood of memories were overwhelming, but he left with a smile on his face.
Pricing:
- Our lowest priced items go as low as $1.00
- We try to have items in a wide range of price points.
- The most expensive thing in the shop, currently, is about$6400.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://engleemporium.com
- Instagram: The Engle Emporium
- Facebook: The Engle Emporium
- Other: Show Daily Magazine; Texas Antiques Trail
