Mama’s Attic brings Phase two to market

Editor February 19, 2021 Comments Off on Mama’s Attic brings Phase two to market
Mama’s Attic brings Phase two to market

Consignment shop adds to center with over 11 vendors

By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau

SLIDELL – Mink coats from the 1940s.
–A shelf made with the back of a 1958 Volkswagen.
–A pink Atlas sewing machine turned into a door stop.
–A baby carriage from Chicago that is over 100 years old.
–Cast iron cooking items, and more other unique items than you can think of.
Get the picture?
The second phase of the Great American Marketplace, which continues to expand in the former County Market shopping center on Hwy. 11, is now open with Mama’s Attic Consignment and More.
CEO Shelley Politi said they have some of the most interesting and unique items ever in Mama’s Attic, the second store opening at the former shopping center after the flea market debuted last summer sporting over 100 booths inside.
Now, Shelley and her husband Jay Politi have moved forward with the second store opening, this time adding consignment opportunities to go with other specialty flea market booths such as Picker’s Den, operated by partners David Gilliam and Donna Pitts.
“David and Donna have so many incredible items, real antiques and collectibles,” said Shelley. “And our consignment section of the store is filling up fast with some experienced collectors. We really do have so many interesting things for people to see.”
“If you want to have a fun time in a controlled temperature flea market, you should come by and give this all a look,” she added.
The Politis have leased the entire shopping center, renovating and then opening one business after another. Now with the flea market and Mama’s Attic open, it joins with Transamerica Insurance that is also operating under Jay’s guidance. He is a former insurance executive and is currently building a national team of 10,000 agents. Still to come will be inside storage units and U-Haul truck rentals in the right portion of the center.
Along with outside music entertainment when the weather gets warmer, the center will host a comedy show in the former church sanctuary that has been renovated. It will be held on Saturday, March 6 at 7:30 with local comedians filling the bill. Tickets are $20 in advance and can be purchased online at:
LCA.eventbrite.com
As for Mama’s Attic, it is the next step in the growth of the large center that has more items than someone can even imagine.
David and Donna operate a section of the store with Picker’s Den. Among a very few of the special items are a massive number of vintage silver jewelry pieces, cast iron pots and pans, original Disney piggy banks, and even a bell off the original Clydesdale horse costumes worn during parades.
David said he began collecting at the age of six since his mother was an antiques collector.
“I used to read antique journals all the time. There is so much knowledge you need to learn over time,” he said. “Now that I’ve been doing it over 40 years I can tell you the history about anything here.”
He remembers his first big deal as a kid, starting to buy silver dollars from vendors at his mother’s outings.
“I eventually had 2,000 of them over about six years, but then they had gone up in value and I sold all of them for $38,000 when I was 12. That’s what gets you hooked. Collecting things becomes an addiction worse than drugs, but I love it,” he said with a laugh.
He and Donna met at the flea market when both of them began renting space, then they were asked by Shelley to be a featured booth at Mama’s Attic, where they both have lots of items to offer.
“I’ve probably got over $500,000 worth of things between here and a couple of warehouses in Texas, where I began,” said David, who also works full time as an air conditioning and heating contractor.
“This is just a hobby,” he said. “Although it’s gotten to be a big one.”
Donna said she “began collecting things probably as early as I could walk and I never stopped.”
Like most collectors and antique dealers, Donna has worked fairs and festivals, besides renting booth space at different locations—almost always outside. Now, with the flea market and Mama’s Attic offering indoor space she said it is fantastic.
“Being inside a place like this with all your things set up, and to keep it here without taking it down, well, this place is like a dream,” she said. “It’s so nice and a great atmosphere for people to shop and see over 100 vendor booths. It’s just fun being in here, whether you are a vendor or a shopper.”
While the main flea market floor sold out over 100 booths before the place opened last summer, there is still some rental space available at Mama’s Attic. If you are interested in space, stop by and see Shelley. They are located on Hwy. 11 heading towards Pearl River, just north of Interstate 12.
The flea market is open for shoppers every Wednesday through Sunday, 10 to 6.

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