Bintage voutique

Emily Baker runs Pickled Tink, a crafty, vintage boutique, with her mom and soon-to-be mother-in-law. Inside, you’ll find things like vintage chandeliers, homemade baby and kitchen items, repurposed frames and birdhouses. The business is holding three classes this week: Birdhouses ($50, $75) on July 29, Make Unique Cards ($20) on July 30, and Felted Flowers ($25) on July 31. Call 323-8465 for times and details. Find them at 39 E. Taylor St., or online at www.pickledtinkstudio.com.

Tell me about the changes coming up for Pickled Tink.

We have a pretty big following on my blog, called pickledtinkreno.blogspot.com. That’s where I post any events we’re going to be in, any shows, markets or craft fairs. And we post things like ‘Oh, my mom just made these adorable garden flowers out of these vintage stainless steel knobs,’ or new furniture we’ve redone, and the markets we do—we try to do at least one a month in Roseville, Alameda, or at Lavender Ridge, and we host one in June that we’re thinking of doing twice a year, in June and September. … But the economy has been kind of hard. We all have other jobs, so we’re kind of debating whether to just do the markets—bring the merchandise to the people rather than bring the people to us. … We’re trying to think out of the box to stay afloat.

You also have classes?

We have birdhouse classes, where you come and design your own birdhouse. You get to pick you paint colors and embellishments. We have a rag rug class, which is basically just shredded fabric crocheted together to make a rug. They’re inexpensive and adorable. And we do craft birthday parties next door at 41 Taylor Events Lounge with Tracey Connelly. …

What kinds of things are you drawn to for your store?

We shop at a lot of thrift stores and garage sales and just find great deals. All of us have an eye for what sells. Sometimes it needs some work, so we’ll refurbish it. … We sell aprons, vintage prom dresses. A little bit of everything. …

It seems like there’s a trend in upcycling, homegrown stuff.

We opened Pickled Tink at probably the worst time possible, in 2009, and we did it … because we taught classes in sewing and jewelry making. I’m 26, and I only know sewing because my mom taught me, but none of my girlfriends knew how to sew, so we thought: back to basics, learn to sew out of these gorgeous fabrics, and make these rag rugs, do it yourself. That is growing. I think Martha Stewart just did a feature on thrift stores. The economy—everyone can’t afford to shop at these high-end furniture stores anymore. … I did a funny blog about putting the thrift back in thrift store, because some thrift stores are catching on—they know women will pay. So it’s back to garage sales.

You also have a skincare business?

Yeah, I do. That’s actually where I make my money right now. It’s called Lime Skin. … I do facials and waxing, and I’m having a big makeup event at 41 Taylor next week. And I’m allowed to talk about this now: The owner of St. James Infirmary—my parents used to own Crystal Springs Water, and they sold it to Art [Farley]. He’s putting a brewery/restaurant there [on the corner of Taylor and Center streets], and we’re so excited because Taylor Street needs some help. My parents own these three houses across the street because that’s where they used to park the water trucks. So we did Pickled Tink in one of the houses, and 41 Taylor in the next one, and then there’s a third house on the corner. My parents were going to tear it down, but that’s where we’re putting my new skincare business. So good things are coming for Taylor.