Business Spotlight: What’s old is new again at CottonSeed Company
Submitted by Brett Fisher on Fri, 04/20/2018 - 9:28am
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, or so the age-old idiom goes.
Tracey Shoemaker is one of those people who sees the value in all things vintage or antiquated, whether or not they have been designated for the trash heap.
“I have always had a love for design and I love all things vintage,” said the owner of CottonSeed Company, a brand new home decor and design retail business that just celebrated its grand opening on April 14. “I am a salvage junkie at heart. I will look at something and try to figure out a way to replicate it or repurpose it.”
Shoemaker, who also owns and operates Independent Office Solutions in Carson City, opened her retail space inside Sierra Floor Covering, located at 4601 Goni Road, where she had once worked for her parents.
Last Saturday’s grand opening was tantamount to lifetime achievement for the long-time Carson City resident and Carson High School graduate.
“This has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember,” said Shoemaker, who has lived in the Eagle Valley since age six. “But it has officially been in the making for the last five years.”
Shoemaker said she aspires for CottonSeed Company to become the place to go in Carson City for forgotten odds and ends that retain their character, despite having lost their shiny, new luster over time.
“It’s a mecca for salvage junkies, collectors, lovers of chicken wire and rust, of found, nostalgic and repurposed items,” she said. "People who, just like me, are in love with rust, dents, and bringing the past back to life.”
Shoemaker said vintage items tell a story, and can give a home depth of character, too.
“Vintage has a history,” she said. “There’s nothing quite as beautiful as a rusted out olive bucket next to a crystal chandelier.”
Pairing modern decor and fixtures with vintage items not only establishes a look unique to each person, but creates a style fusion all its own, Shoemaker said.
“Vintage is individual to each person,” she said. “It has no set style, no predetermined look, it speaks to the gypsy heart.”
CottonSeed Company is about planting the seeds of creativity through the inspirational stories behind vintage items, she said.
“I want to inspire someone to think outside the box when it comes to their home décor,” Shoemaker said. “Don’t just think outside the box though, take the box and repurpose it.”
CottonSeed Company is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday as well as one Saturday a month.
Visit the CottonSeed Company on Facebook, or contact Shoemaker at 775-220-9811 or cottonseedco@hotmail.com for more information.
