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When I cleaned out my parents’ house several years ago, I was overwhelmed with all the stuff! They built that house in 1960, the same year I was born. I cleaned it out around 2016, so we’re talking 56 years worth of stuff, not to mention all the generational things that came with them to the house when we first moved there from the home farm in Mapleton. Our family’s been on the Old Mission Peninsula since the 1800s. That’s a lot of stuff.
I kept a lot of it, because not only are there lots of cool things in the family archives, but also a lot of historical stuff related to the Old Mission Peninsula. Both my mom and dad, Walter and Mary Johnson, were very involved in the community, so I have a ton of archives related to the church, historical society, Hessler log home, school, library, lighthouse, township, you name it.
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Being a history nut myself, I can write about all of that for the Gazette. I found my Dad’s diploma from the Mapleton School circa 1936, and a paper bag full of WWI letters my grandma kept after her first husband, Frank Edgecomb died in the war. That was in the back of the linen closet!
But I sure could have used some help sorting through all the stuff that I didn’t necessarily need to hang onto, but was still in great condition and worthy of a home somewhere. In short, I could have used Carla Weaver.
Sort, Save, Sell with EB2 Vintage
I recently had the opportunity to visit with Carla at her shop in Traverse City, EB2 Vintage, a lovely shop on Eighth Street filled with refurbished, recycled and re-loved furniture, decor and home furnishings. Carla also has a service called “Sort, Save, Sell,” which is exactly what it sounds like. She will help us sort, save and sell all the things we find as we’re downsizing our own home, or a parents, grandparents or other loved one’s home.
“When both my grandmothers and my great aunt needed help downsizing their homes, I was there helping them organize, donate, and sell what didn’t serve them any longer,” says Carla.
“It’s a tricky thing to do, as often we are sentimentally attached to the things we’ve had around us for so long. I feel the same way! So we would discuss what their current needs were and which of their possessions would best serve them now. And then we would figure out the best place to send the items that weren’t needed.”
That’s the thing. We might not know where to re-home all of those precious things. Carla does! She has a huge network of people and places in our community that accept donations, will reuse the items, or will sell them.
“It’s not easy, but it can be done in a way that satisfied my family that their treasures were going to their best and highest use,” notes Carla. “We can also help others do the same with respect, kindness, and the knowledge needed to get the job done.”
So whether you’re downsizing, moving, or simply ready to declutter, EB2 offers full-service organizing, sorting, and selling of your unwanted items. They have connections with local businesses where you can sell or donate your treasures, and they will help you find the most ethical way to give them a new home. For a consultation, contact them at (231) 944-0643.
Vintage Treasures – Part of Her DNA
The fine art of not only repurposing stuff but also working with vintage treasures has been part of Carla’s DNA since she was a little girl.
“I’ve always loved home decor and styling my home with vintage finds,” she says. “Even as a little girl, a whole day could be spent moving my furniture around my room and enjoying a new look. Maybe it’s genetic as I was a willing participant in helping my grandmother do the same thing! I grew up going to antique, thrift, and ‘junk’ stores with my grandfather, and then we would refinish or refresh what we’d bought.”
Many of you might know Carla’s parents, Judith and Kennard Weaver, who are a big part of the Old Mission Peninsula community. She says they are also longtime refinishers and experts at repairing and renewing old things. “They still help and teach me their ways!”
The origins of EB2 Vintage hark back to the last few years of Carla’s almost-20-year teaching career, when she started refinishing, painting, reupholstering, and re-loving vintage items to sell (because she’d already filled her own home!). It quickly became her passion, and she opened her first shop, Empireblu, in May of 2014. Her next business, EB2 Vintage, was opened in 2020 at her current location, 516 E. 8th Street in Traverse City.
“We love being part of the North Boardman Lake District,” she says. “This little neighborhood has become our happy home, and we hold outdoor markets in both June and November.” Their European Christmas Market is inspired by the German markets that are also held outside and include lots of holiday vendors, mulled wine, hot cocoa and roasted chestnuts.
Helping Local Organizations
Last year, EB2 began hosting an “After Hours Dinner Series,” which benefits local organizations like Safe Harbor and TCAPS’ Student Support Network. Collaborating with nearby businesses Raduno and Lake District Wine, a three-course meal is served at EB2 using their vintage dining tables and vintage dishes.
“We raise thousands for our community,” says Carla. “These events bring together local women, help our community, and show off our NOBO women-owned businesses.”
Their next “After Hours Dinner” will take place on Thursday, April 25, and will benefit Generations Ahead, which helps to empower young parents. I believe the tickets are sold out, but check the EB2 website for more information.
Next up, be sure and stop by their Spring Market on Saturday, June 7, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’ll take place in the parking lot behind their shop and the lot next door (at the eye doctor’s office). You’ll find vintage treasures, plants, decor, and much more! Parking is available in the big city lot across the alley behind the shop. If you’re interested in being a vendor, call or text (231) 944-0643.
EB2 Vintage is located at 516 E. 8th Street in Traverse City. Check out their website, Instagram and Facebook pages, and be sure and call them, (231) 944-0643, when you’re cleaning out your house!
And when you’re in the shop, say “Hi!” to Rosie Jane Apricot, the cutest shop dog you’ll ever see. When you come in the door, Carla says they always ask if you’re ok with Rosie, and if not, she will hang out in her crate, which she loves.
(This is a sponsored post. If you’d like Old Mission Gazette to help promote your business, click here to view our Media Kit, which includes a variety of advertising options.)
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SUPPORT YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER: I started Old Mission Gazette in 2015 because I felt a calling to provide the Old Mission Peninsula community with local news. After decades of writing for newspapers and magazines like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Family Circle and Ladies' Home Journal, I really just wanted to write about my own community where I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my own family. So I started my own newspaper.
Because Old Mission Gazette is a "Reader Supported Newspaper" -- meaning it exists because of your financial support -- I hope you'll consider tossing a few bucks our way if I mention your event, your business, your organization or your news item, or if you simply love reading about what's happening on the OMP. In a time when local news is becoming a thing of the past, supporting an independent community newspaper is more important now than ever. Thank you so much for your support! -Jane Boursaw, Editor/Publisher, Old Mission Gazette
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