This past week Reminisce was featured in articles in the Paso Robles Press and the Tribune. Check those out below.
Jeannie and John Bork and all the folks at Reminisce would like to extend a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.
The Tribune Story:
Remembering to Reminisce
Paso’s ‘village of shops’ is at home during the holidays
By Rebecca Juretic
The vendors at Reminisce specialize in creating vignettes that, in addition to making wares attractive, provide inspiration for decorating, especially in the holiday season.
At a time of year when ads hype battery-operated, mass-produced holiday cheer, a few shops sit quietly in the background and offer up something simpler and homespun.
Reminisce in downtown Paso Robles is one of those shops. It has been some form of antique store for 25 years. Today, it offers a mélange of goods that combines antique, vintage, new and handcrafted. Their products for the home in clude antique and vintage furniture, art, architectural elements, home accents, and gifts.
• TIPS FROM REMINISCE
GO FAUX
Garlands of faux flowers and greenery are more realistic than ever these days. Remember that if you take time to pull out and arrange each bloom, branch and leaf, it will look even better.
ADD FABRIC
Fabric brings dimension and warmth to holiday décor. Wind a length of fabric around your Christmas tree. Or drape curtain panels from the arms of your chandelier. No need to go with anything fancy — burlap is a very trendy option for casual décor. Try it wrapped around the base of a small tree or bunched up under a table arrangement.
BRANCH OUT
Bare tree branches strung with lights is a popular holiday look. Fill a vessel with kitty litter (sand is too heavy) in which to arrange them. Leave branches plain or spray them with white or metallic paint. Then top the sand with small ornaments or white batting.
TRY A THEME
A small accent tree is a great way to show off themed ornaments. Decorate one with culinarythemed ornaments or holiday cookie cutters for the kitchen. For the bathroom, you can use decorative wrapped soaps and pretty holiday hand towels tied in the center to form bows.
Jeannie Bork, who has owned the shop since 2006, has been selective about the 38 vendors who fill the stalls of her 4,500-squarefoot “village of shops.” You won’t find shelves of jumbled knick-knacks or dated furnishings. Furniture, both antique and vintage, is either in prime original condition, or expertly refinished. Home accents are just as thoughtfully chosen.
Each vendor decorates in vignettes showcasing their specialty and offering design inspiration. At no time is this more evident than at the holidays. Along with the usual wares, each booth has its own take on creative ways to deck the halls. Many use items that can be found lying around the house, or inexpensively at vintage or thrift stores.
You’ll find at least a dozen ways to decorate a tree, for instance. One tree is done up in wintry metallics. Others are decorated around a theme such as birds, vintage kitchen utensils, girly pink ornaments, beachy items and sporting equipment. One tree is decked out in white paper lanterns and white lights, and is crowned with a top hat — a tree Bork calls the “deconstructed snowman.”
You’ll also find several different ways to dress up a simple clear ornament, such as stuffing it with tinsel, strips of colorful paper, shreds of old sheet music, and pages from old books.
Another common decorating prop is what Bork calls the “unexpected vessel.” You’ll find greenery, silk flowers, ornaments and other items arranged in old suitcases, aluminum buckets, and birdhouses. Even an old birdcage originally from the Charles Paddock Zoo gets in the holiday spirit by sheltering a miniature tree.
Many vendors offer handmade items such as hand-sewn table runners, handmade soaps and holiday decorations. Several vendors creatively repurpose salvaged materials into original items for the home.
“We were green before green was in,” noted Bork.
The Paso Robles Press Article:
Village of shops
Posted: Tuesday, Nov 29th, 2011
BY: Meagan Friberg
Pam Smith (left)and Jeannie Bork greet customers at Reminisce. Merchandise from 38 separate dealers is displayed among aisles with names such as Main Street and Lavender Lane. Beautiful glass ornaments decorate a tree in the Victoria's Marketplace booth at Reminisce. Jeannie Bork invites everyone to come out and experience the joy of the Christmas season at the village of shops that make up Reminisce. Stroll the aisles of Reminisce and take part in the magic of Christmas. Photos by Meagan Friberg.
A special place to visit anytime of the year, Reminisce is even more enchanting during the Christmas season, with shiny ornaments, twinkling lights and sparkling treasures beckoning passers-by to indulge in holiday delights.
This expansive village of shops in downtown Paso Robles holds the promise of a truly magical and delightful one-stop shopping experience for all visitors to the unique destination on the corner of 14th and Pine streets.
"I'm proud to say this is a destination location," Reminisce owner Jeannie Bork said. "I have local customers tell me that when their friends or relatives come to town, the first thing they want to do is come to Reminisce. I have the best customers in the whole world.”
Bork has owned Reminisce since 2002, when she purchased the business from the former owner, Judy Taylor of Sentimental Journey. After moving to the Paso Robles area in 2001 with her husband, John, Bork became a dealer at Sentimental Journey with a booth of her antiques.
"My dream ever since I was a little girl was to have a little knick-knack shop," Bork said. "The previous owner had all of these little booths set up and I thought, 'Gee, I could do this.' When Judy wanted to retire in 2006, I jumped at the opportunity to purchase the shop.”
In response to her initial fear of owning the business, Bork turned to prayer and said “my fear was gone.” The dynamic shop owner fulfilled her dream and took over ownership on April 1, a day Bork said “made it even more memorable.”
“When I first got involved here, I gave myself permission to make mistakes as long as I would learn from them,” Bork said. “I just love it; I love the vibe here because of the variety, because of the constant change and because of the people. I enjoy sharing and talking with everyone who comes in and with all of the vendors.”
Now celebrating more than five years of business, Bork describes Reminisce as a “village of shops” and said visitors often describe a stroll through this unique village as an “experience, not just shopping.” From vintage to antiques, collectibles to reproduction, there is something for every visitor. The local shop has hundreds of gifts, a broad range of local artwork, home décor, western items, jewelry and most of all, aisles of fun.
“This is the only thing in my life, besides my family, that I didn’t get bored with in two years,” Bork said. “I love people and enjoy sharing and talking with them.”
The wonderful, open feeling of the store begins as visitors are greeted by Bork’s enthusiastic and energetic smile as they enter the shop and continues as they gaze upon items from the past and present displayed in an organized and neat manner. A good share of the dealers have a passion for re-purposing furniture and other household items, with Bork saying of their handiwork, “we were green before green was in.”
“The customers love that the merchandise changes every time they come in, even if they come in weekly,” Bork said.
With merchandise from 38 dealers under one roof displayed among aisles with names such as Main Street and Lavender Lane, each day brings a constant flow of activity and change, a definite attraction for visitors to the local shop.
“For customers who have not stopped by the shop recently, they are in for a treat,’ Bork said. “The customers like the surprise factor and look forward to the anticipation of how Reminisce will look or what will be new each time they visit. They love the fact that Reminisce changes just about every time they come in, even if they come in weekly.”
Janice Rau stopped by Reminisce recently, looking through the aisles of home décor, furnishings and Christmas delights. Rau and her husband discovered the charming shop this past summer while visiting nearby Cambria.
“I like that everything is so unique and different,” Rau said. “There’s so much here that you would not expect to see at most stores or boutiques.”
Paso Robles resident Cindy Silva also enjoys visiting Reminisce and said she likes to spend time inside the shop on a frequent basis.
“They have so much great stuff here and I’m leaving with a bunch of it today,” Silva said on a recent visit. “The prices are just fantastic, especially for such unique items....
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