Here to make friends in Niles

My Friends & I, a 14-dealer co-op on Niles Boulevard in Fremont, CA is going the extra mile, marketing-wise, by having a gift basket drawing every month. You get a chance to win with any purchase. Gift baskets are a popular drawing prize, and the prospect of winning one assures that shoppers coming to the well-known Niles Boulevard antique row will likely include My Friends & I in their stops. 

Another marketing tool that takes a little effort but potentially could help attract more clientele is the blog that Carol, the store owner, maintains at www.myfriendsandiniles.blogspot.com. Blogspot is a free blog hosting site, and she posts anything from photos of newly-arrived items to open house sales like the one they held a couple of weeks ago, to uplifting quotes or even photos of special dishes being served at nearby restaurants...shoppers have to eat too, you know.

Here's a photo of the gift basket for the drawing in April.

Painting it Red (or your favorite color) in Vegas

Painted frames by local artists, at Not Just Antiques in Las Vegas

It takes a little courage for some of us to transform an object with paint, or maybe a little inspiration from an expert. And that's where The Painted Attic comes in. If you're in the Las Vegas  area, you could sign up for a painting workshop in their upstairs Recycled Furniture and Craft Boutique at Not Just Antiques, on June 28 at noon.

Bring an object you'd like to paint: a small box, picture frame, something that would add fresh new color to your décor. The class will provide a brush and a small can of paint for a $45 fee, and help you with your transformation, from preparation to painting to applying a protective coat of wax. The Painted Attic also has quite a few small items to choose from that might be fun to paint. Sign up by emailing callReneeEstates@yahoo.com.

Not Just Antiques is at 1422 Western Avenue near Oakley, in Las Vegas. Call (702) 384-4922 for information. Also visit the store's Facebook page: Not Just Antiques in Las Vegas. Owner Renee Poole is also involved extensively in estate sales, auctions, consignments and eBay sales, and the store website has an Online Shop.