Meet Tori Palmer: Vintage Enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tori Palmer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tori, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
I think the most important lesson that I have learned through my business is to trust myself. Before opening Vintage Disco, it was an idea I thought about…. a lot…. like for YEARS! It took over four years of my family and friends constantly telling me it’s what I’m meant to do for me to listen.

But… I was SO NERVOUS. I was nervous that I would build my inventory and never sell a single item. I was nervous that my vision/eye for decor wasn’t what anyone wanted. I was nervous that I would make a fool of myself.

Despite my fears, I decided to at least TRY and opened Vintage Disco. Through opening my business, I have learned to trust myself, my vision, and my passion. I have learned not to take myself too seriously or to put too much pressure on myself. I have learned to stay genuine and authentic to myself and my brand. I have learned to step outside of my comfort zone and that vulnerability is okay. I have learned to not focus on the numbers or sells but instead on organically building connections because that’s what really matters!

I have learned so much about myself since starting my business and am excited and open to learn even more!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the owner of an online shop called Vintage Disco and here you will find a curation of trendy and unique vintage items for your home! I believe that our homes say a lot about us and who we are… and through antiques, it can tell a story that no one else’s can.

My business evolved from my passion for thrifting antiques and my love for interior design. I had been working in the childcare industry for over 12 years when COVID hit and with my newfound time at home and the urge to purge literally everything in our house, I decided that I would finally take the leap and start my online vintage shop. It was something I had wanted to do for YEARS but had put off because of insecurities. It’s now been a little over a year since my first (very nervous) listing and I’m here to say the anxiety was 100% worth it!

It’s a business that brings me so much happiness and it’s especially rewarding when I am able to help a person find an item that is nostalgic to him/her. I love hearing my customers tell me how their grandmother owned the same trinket or how their mama used to have the same art piece hanging in her bedroom… these are the moments that fill me with pure JOY and why I continue to do what I do!

Another exciting and rewarding part of my business is the genuine connections that I’ve made with people. I’ve had the chance to meet so many amazing men and women in my community that I may would have never known and I’m as equally as thankful for the friends that I’ve made from all over the U.S. that I haven’t had the chance to meet in person quite yet.

At Vintage Disco, I truly value providing my customers with the most accurate and thorough information possible. Growing up with antique dealer grandparents, I learned to truly appreciate the history behind the item…this is what makes them so special, after all!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ohhhh, this is right up my alley! I love planning a good itinerary and plus I live in the beautiful Augusta, Georgia where there’s always something going on!

There are several delicious breakfast spots we’d have to visit including New Moon for their famous grits bowl, Sheila’s Bakery for coffee and a delicious caramelli, and Inner Bean Cafe for the yummiest french toast!

Lunch options are endless! Nacho Mama’s, The Village Deli, and Hawaiian Style BBQ to just name a few favorites!

Supper MUST GO TO’S include Frog Hollow Tavern, T’s Seafood Restaurant, and The Whiskey Bar, You really can’t go wrong with any local restaurant in Augusta!

When we aren’t eating, there are several beautiful walking trails along the Augusta Canal. Fishing and kayaking in the beautiful Savannah River, visiting the local greenhouses because you can NEVER own too many plants! (Bedfords Greenhouse is my favorite!) and OF COURSE, thrifting at my favorite store, Mema Had One! The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I owe every bit of my passion and knowledge for vintage goods and antiques to my poppy and nana, Martin and Beth Skinner!

They were the proud and successful owners of Skinner’s Auction in Sardis, Georgia for over thirty years. Antique dealers from all over the country would visit my grandparent’s one red-light town every other week for their unique and stylish collections and during summer break, I was lucky enough to tag along!

I remember being in complete awe of my poppy, the fast talkin’ auctioneer, and of the beauty of the antiques around me. I fell in love with all of it at a very young age because of them!

They are the number one reason why I am able to do what I do with such passion and I am so thankful for that!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shop.vintagedisco/?hl=en

Other: personal ig: @tbeaz email: torib.palmer@gmail.com