Bachman’s bets on ‘a surprising mix of vintage and new’

Paul Bachman, president of the Bachman’s garden center chain based in Minneapolis, said customers will find “a surprising mix of vintage and new” items when it officially unveils its latest collection of gifts and home accents in March.

Bachman’s is working with Ki Nassauer, an author and vintage collector, to gather unique merchandise for this endeavor. The new line will be officially unveiled in mid-March at the chain’s flagship store on Lyndale Ave. in Minneapolis, as well as the Eden Prairie and Plymouth locations.

Bachman said the move toward vintage-style merchandise was inspired by a special event the store hosted last fall. A group of “pickers”—hobbyists specializing in flea-market and vintage finds—displayed their wares at a Bachman’s store.

“It was a huge success,” Paul said. “And we had tremendous ancillary sales.”

Ki Naussauer, the woman behind the popular “Junk Revolution” movement, agreed to help Bachman’s gather a collection of unique gifts and accents for its stores. Merchandise will be roughly a 50-50 mix of one-of-a-kind “found” items and unique reproduction pieces.

Some selections Bachman is already excited about include vintage light fixtures turned upside down to make a planter, drink coasters made from old vinyl records, and stacks of books modified to hold a vase of flowers.

The “repurposed” theme will even extend to signage within the department. Bachman said they’ll be using old slate chalkboards in iron stands throughout the display area.

To replenish stock, Bachman said they’ll be relying on an army of pickers, in addition to finds from trade-show floors. The Bachman team and Naussauer will determine which vintage items they want for new décor offerings, and tap the picker community to find the goods. Collectors will be paid for antiques and such they bring back.

The hard part, Bachman said, is convincing some people to sell the pickers their old stuff.

“Some people want to sell, and some don’t!” Bachman said.

Old books, drilled through the center to accommodate a vase, are among Bachman's new decor offerings.

Old glass insulators from power lines make ideal votive-candle holders.