by Kay Lee Ogden
This will be a series of local businesses to encourage customers to shop locally and make people aware of the services and talents that we have surrounding us! Please shop local!
This week’s business spotlight: “Bent Emporium” a curative vintage!”
Find at instagram@bent_emporium
Located: 2 Central Street, lower level 1
Phone: 351.207.5946
Summer hours: Wed – Sun: 1-5, Sat: 1-6
Closed: Mon – Tues
Bent Emporium is comprised of three extremely, delightful, ingenious, energetic ladies! The owner is Miranda Prosniewski of Swampscott, managed by Tina Smith of Groveland, with purchasing agent, Lee Ann Sisolak of Georgetown.
Bent emporium was opened in 2017, and was owned and originated by Robin Frans, who passed away in 2018. In honor of Robin’s life and name, and dedication to her business, her husband, Bruce Frans, of Georgetown, decided to donate the business to the current owner Miranda, to honor his wife’s creation!
Robin named the store “Bent Emporium.” She had the chiasmatic idea of reshaping items from their origin! So, the current owner and staff take products that they purchase from estate sales and auctions, and many times, they will re-design them to something more exquisite!
Tina Smith, a superior seamstress, talented creator, with original ingenuity, can design just about anything! And Lee Ann has the ability and talent to market these impeccable, captivating items. Lee Ann also has the ability to captivate audiences to get them into the store, by her advertising methods, and networking.
This is a vintage resale store, where you can find just about anything from the past. What they don’t use or sell, they donate to Groveland Congregational Church, the Peace, Love Store owned by Kim Therrien, the country of Africa, and to Ruth’s House, in Haverhill.
The ladies had created a fashion show, in honor of Robin Frans, that involved, four stores from Georgetown including: Lisa Scala’s Antique’s, Bent Emporium, and two others, which have closed, with the proceeds going to Ruth’s House of Haverhill in Robin’s name. They are currently working on a new fashion show named: “Rubbish to Runway”, again to honor, their friend, and former owner, Robin Frans, and benefit the proceeds to the Veasey Park of Groveland! They give back to our local communities. These ladies are heroines!
They are creating, discarded, destined-for-the-landfill, damaged, recycled items, and they will clean, and ingeniously create into new, unique, amazing treasures!!!!
The Bent Emporium won a vendor’s award, from the “Boston Swing Central,” an organization in Cambridge that offers swing dance lessons, on Friday nights, followed by a swing dance party (26 Newbury Street, suite 3, Cambridge). Next, is roaringtwentieslawnparty.org. They are also involved in a “roaring 20’s lawn party” located at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate, Ipswich, taking place Aug 1-2. Come and dance away! See Bostonswingcentral.org.
The store has so much to offer: refurbished VCRs, clocks, uranium glass, vintage artwork, pretty mirrors, lamps, kitchen equipment.
A tremendous amount of clothing, priced to sell! These girls are so clever that they took wedding dresses, and converted them into prom dresses, and you’d never know! Intriguing books, and games! So many captivating hats, and stunning costume jewelry! I can see many various wedding dresses priced under $100. A designer, strapless, wedding dress! A mystique of vintage vinyl’s in the record cave, and tapes! Volumes of titles, literature, books to read. All priced to be sold at sight!
Bent has a very, very broad spectrum of customers, they service many of towns in a radius of 70 miles! Miranda built the business because she and her staff feel investing in customer service is the key to long-term business and returning customers, in making your business successful! And it comes naturally, as we value our customers!
After eight years being in business, having an envisioned an idea to create, giving back to the community, working with other businesses, they would like to offer you a discount: please visit the store that we have kept creating, after their friend’s departure, ***** 20% off***** by mentioning this story.
The owner is also offering for free: A playable piano soundboard assembly, exposed strings, bridges, etc., mounted on a display board, absolutely free! Great for children to get in tune with music!!! “Playable art”! Come and pick it up! It’s free! First person to ask!
Come and visit us, you won’t be disappointed, you’ll find things, you forgot they existed!!!!!
****remember to shop locally, these local businesses that I have been writing about, are well worth your visit, and much more exciting than big box stores!!**** ♦
