FIND THE DEALS A great example of decorating on a dime can be found in
Peace, Love, and Rocky Roast Coff ee House and Creamery in Columbia, S.C., which opened in August. "We're a '60s rock 'n roll theme, based on Woodstock,"
says owner Butch Allen. "I scoured auctions and sales for six months, gathering wherever possible. We ended up with very cool coff ee shop tables and chairs, and a set of booths. One wall is the original red Woodstock poster, 11 feet tall, reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder and original artist, Howard Stolnick." While Allen says he was unable to stay on budget, at least
his thriſt y sourcing kept it closer than it would have been otherwise. Some of that overage amount was made up for with smart spending on the rest of the project. "We used auctions for equipment and found a project manager able to general- contract the job," Allen says. "And I built part of it myself." Auctions, fl ea markets, estate sales, used furniture stores, and
even garage sales can be worth visiting when you're searching for deals on your decor. DiCorpo also suggests attending auctions held at coff ee shops and restaurants that have closed to fi nd decent furniture, counters, and such.
"Just be sure they all fl ow together for the look you are
looking for, and are in good shape," DiCorpo says. Th e key to shopping in those places is to still follow your
plan—that is, don't buy stuff willy-nilly just because it's cheap. Look for quality pieces that adhere to your vision. It may take longer—note the six months Allen spent shopping for Peace, Love, and Rocky Roast—but the results will be much more appealing than if you run out for a couple of weekends and grab every piece of junk you can fi nd. "My best advice is to keep the styles similar and keep it
simple," Viser recommends. "Piecemeal designed projects are obvious and really do not look inviting." DiCorpo echoes that advice. "My advice is that if is the
route they want to go, be sure it is ALL used stuff , or at least looks like it, even the tables and chairs. It will all fl ow much better. I have worked with some that want this design, and it's warm, cozy, and reminds people of the old style coff eehouse." Finally, when you're scouring thriſt shops and auctions,
don't forget that bringing customers in the door is the ultimate goal. Says Viser, "Create ambiance and a unique experience for your patrons, and they will pay you back with loyalty." SCR
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