The Savvy Picker travels around the Southeast looking for vintage merchandise to stock her brick-and-mortar and online shops. She visited the North Georgia Mountains this fall where she stopped in at Wheeler’s Outpost.
Keep reading to check out her hauls and pick up a few tricks of the trade.
An old house on South Main filled with treasures
Easy to find and fun to explore, Wheeler’s Outpost is conveniently located in an old house on South Main Street in Cleveland, Georgia. When I was there, the place had the comfortable feeling of home as soon as I walked through the front door and was greeted not only by the proprietress but also by her sister, who had stopped in for a visit.
While they caught up, I meandered through the well-organized rooms stocked with a wide variety of stuff, old and new!
One of the first things that caught my eye was this collection of blue and white.
I knew right away the little bird pictured here had to come home with me. People love blue and white, and also birds, so a blue and white bird combo is a win-win for this retailer. (The bird lasted less than a week in my shop.)
From this central room, I made my way back to the “kitchen.” The shopkeeper told me everything in the kitchen room was half price that day, so I spent a little extra time in there calculating prices and exploring colored glassware, which is always popular.
I ended up purchasing two pieces of purple glass for half price: a 1960s retro amethyst Jim Beam bottle for $10 and a fabulous Tiffin Franciscan Maderia footed glass for $7.
Check the porch (and upstairs)
At Wheeler’s Outpost, they make the most of all of their space, including the porches.
I found this super cute Minnie Mouse figurine for $5 right on the front porch before I even walked through the door. I knew she’d look spiffy with my vintage cameras, and she did until one of my customers took her home for $15!
Like the front porch, the back porch was also loaded with great stuff! And there’s an upstairs, too, so don’t forget to check out that space!
One thing to note about Wheeler’s Outpost is that this is not a multi-vendor establishment. All of the merch in this business belongs to the owner, and there is a lot of it. This is important to know if you want to negotiate prices because if you are purchasing a lot of items from one person like I was, they are usually more likely to bargain with you.
So, once I had a nice pile going at the register, I asked the owner to negotiate with me on my final purchases, which included some jewelry.
I ended up paying around $6- $10 each for three rings, all sterling and also got great deals on the other pieces. I especially love the chunky little road runner!
TSP Takeaway
So, if you find yourself on South Main Street in Cleveland, stop by Wheeler’s Outpost, wander through the cottage-style rooms, and treasure hunt for a bit. You never know what you’ll find, and you’re sure to be greeted like friends and family.
Wheeler’s Outpost is located at 590 South Main Street in Cleveland, Georgia. Visit them on Facebook for hours and more information.
Who should visit: Folks looking for treasures, old and new.
Score of the day: Assortment of jewelry.
Predicted profit on jewelry: $50
Re-seller takeaway: When buying a lot of merch from a single vendor, don’t be afraid to negotiate prices.
For more great reads and finds, click here. For additional tips on tracking vintage treasures, visit The Savvy Picker website.
