Meet Elisa Vietri | Vintage Shop Proprietor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elisa Vietri and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elisa, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve always been a fan and a collector of vintage and antique items! I’m drawn to unique things that have enduring quality and craftsmanship. And I very much appreciate items that have been broken in or show signs of a past life. Over time I collected until I simply couldn’t collect anything more and basically my home overflowed into a shop where I could share my appreciation of these items with others who had the same attraction to them. I love the idea of re-homing these precious objects and hopefully keeping some of them them from being discarded as trash.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I fell into my vintage business easily because I was a collector for most of my adult life and I had a true appreciation for vintage items. My business is located in Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood, a vibrant community where people live, work, go to school and visit often. The journey has been challenging in terms of learning how to stay true to my vintage roots while still serving this eclectic neighborhood that includes lots of first time visitors from around the country and the world. Over time I’ve added items to the shop that may appeal to the casual ‘wander by’ shopper, always being sure to support small-batch, local makers and artists. And yet, still being mindful of our more loyal vintage shoppers. And, of course, staying true to our brand. It’s a bit of a tightrope but I love the challenge and know we can’t be everything to everyone but we can sure try to offer an eclectic, thoughtful blend of old, new and hand-made. Our main objective is to sell beautiful and unique vintage items while also serving our diverse neighborhood in other small ways.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Hiking at the Metro Parks, theatre or comedy at Playhouse Square, dinner in Little Italy, Westside Market for shopping, coffee at The Coffee Phix, siteseeing at Lakeview Cemetary, thrifting and vintage shopping at all my favorite spots, craft cocktails at Velvet Tango Room, sailing on Lake Erie, Cleveland Museum of art….

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This year I will have been in business for 9 years. The first 5 years I was operating the business part time and in addition to my full time job. The business was a lifelong dream and so much fun, but it wasn’t paying my bills. I still counted on my job to support myself. In 2019 I was laid off from my job and decided to work my business full time. And to be honest, I didn’t really know how to do that successfully enough to make a living. Fortunately I found the group Savvy Shopkeepers, specifically the mastermind group Master Shopkeepers, and through this organization I have learned the skills to run a successful retail business and support myself. I also found community amongst other shopkeepers that has transcended any expectations I had. My shoutout is to the group’s founder, coach and mentor Kathy Cruz. She’s truly a gem and selfless in her willingness to share her knowledge and help at every level.

Website: www.moonstruckcle.com

Instagram: @moonstruckcle

Facebook: @moonstruckcle

Image Credits
Elisa Vietri Photography