Olyphant has a new place to shop a wide variety of items and bring together many small businesses at Queen City Vendors, 210 W. Lackawanna Ave.
The business idea started as a hobby at first, according to Caitlin Hernandez, co-owner of Queen City Vendors with her husband, Lisandro Hernandez. “I am a crafter. I love to do these things.”
As she created custom T-shirts and decals, people told her she should start selling her different designs. Queen City Vendors opened on Nov. 15 in the former Happy Days building.
Queen City Vendors’ motto is “Shop the Crown, Support the Town,” according to Caitlin Hernandez. The goal is to encourage people to shop local, support local families and be involved in the community, she said.
Custom T-shirts created by Queen City Vendors co-owner Caitlin Hernandez are available for sale at the Olyphant shop. (Danielle Karwaski/For The Valley Advantage)
Caitlin Hernandez’s goal of supporting the community ties in with her deep family roots in Olyphant. Her family has lived in the area for over a century. Her grandmother was taken shopping as an infant at the building that now houses the Queen City Vendors location.
To find vendors to fill Queen City Vendors, Caitlin Hernandez and Lisandro Hernandez reached out to people they knew from going to local flea markets, as well as lots of friends and friends of friends who wanted to come and sell, according to Caitlin Hernandez. They then worked for a month and a half, spending every day setting up the shop before opening.
Caitlin Hernandez said her favorite part of running Queen City Vendors is all the vendors. “I love spending time with them. We are a big family,” she said.
At Queen City Vendors, “there is something literally for everyone. If you look hard enough, you will definitely find something here,” said Caitlin Hernandez.
“We have a little bit of everything,” she said. There are currently 15 different vendors at Queen City Vendors. Items for sale include antique to new items, including custom-made clothing, jewelry, home decor, collectibles, electronics, tools, home goods, baked goods and snacks.
Vendors’ items are available for sale at Queen City Vendors, 210 W. Lackawanna Ave., Olyphant. The store opened Nov. 15. (Danielle Karwaski/For The Valley Advantage)
Queen City Vendors helps to “create a nice welcoming family-type feel into the town,” said Marcella Schraeder, owner of Cella Fashions and one of the vendors at the store. The vendors are a great group of people who are very talented, according to Schraeder.
Schraeder sells one-of-a-kind jean jackets and pants and jewelry at Queen City Vendors.
“I like to do things that are very different,” she said of her items inspired by ’80s retro and vintage fashion icons, including Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. In creating her pieces, she said she finds “a lot of sentiment in older things” and enjoys bringing new life to items.
Schraeder said there are “a lot of great deals and bargains” to be found at Queen City Vendors.
There are currently 15 different vendors at Queen City Vendors in Olyphant. (Danielle Karwaski/For The Valley Advantage)
While setting up the store and meeting all the new vendors, Lisandro Hernandez said he is “loving every day.” “It is nice to always meet new people,” he said.
Queen City Vendors is planning to expand in two months to include 10 to 20 more vendors once the backroom is redone, according to Lisandro Hernandez.
The business is also looking at having do-it-yourself craft and painting parties in the future, Caitlin Hernandez said.
Queen City Vendors is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information, check out the Queen City Vendors Facebook page.
Check it out
Queen City Vendors is located at 210 W. Lackawanna Ave., Olyphant. The new store is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information, visit the Queen City Vendors Facebook page.