A New Midcentury Modern Furniture Store Opens in Gulf Gate



When Rhianna Romero and her partner Colton Toth relocated to Sarasota from Tampa in 2021, Romero was puzzled more than how to acquire gain of their rental home’s shed workshop. Fascinated by vintage household furniture and innovative hands-on things to do, Romero determined to mix her passions and use the place to refinish a midcentury contemporary dresser that she discovered on Facebook Marketplace. A 7 days following listing the piece on Etsy, the dresser sold, and the pair recognized that they had stumbled upon a financially rewarding facet hustle.
“I’ve normally been thrifty and get pleasure from repurposing issues,” suggests Romero, “and when we offered the dresser, Colton acknowledged a business prospect.”



They launched their shop, Retro Revival SRQ, on Etsy in 2021 and began gathering and refinishing a assortment of items. Significantly less than two many years later, on Dec. 17, the enterprising couple celebrated the grand opening of a 1600 sq.-foot brick-and-mortar area.
Together, Toth and Romero uncovered how to fix and refinish classic pieces, a approach that has introduced them even nearer. “We could not do this enterprise if we did not have each other, since we both convey our personal sets of skills and passions collectively to make this profitable,” adds Romero, “and we are grateful that we get to get the job done along with each individual other each individual working day.”
When they opened the Etsy store, Toth, now 26, worked as an accountant, and Romero, now 27, was an government assistant. Eleven months into the undertaking, Toth remaining his task to go after the undertaking comprehensive-time. Romero held her work but carries on to pour her free of charge time into the business, which carries lots of dressers, bedroom sets and chairs.
Most of the items on supply are midcentury contemporary, submit-fashionable or Danish contemporary, and were being created all through the 1950s to 1980s. Romero and Toth are constantly on the hunt for new pieces, but primarily source them in Florida. Past acquiring a sharp eye for getting the items, there was a learning curve.
“When Rhianna first refinished the dresser, she painted it sage eco-friendly, which we uncovered is a major no-no when it comes to midcentury home furnishings because the target is to maintain the piece as near to its authentic state as achievable,” suggests Toth. The much more parts they refinish, the more the couple discovers how to guarantee the home furniture stays period-appropriate and is refinished to the maximum specifications.
“Six months in the past, we would’ve just coloured in a chip on a piece, but now we just take the time to level and paint it, ensuing in a bigger high-quality close-products,” Toth provides. The pair generally spruces up the tops of items and fixes chips, striving to improve the complete of every piece. Although pricing relies upon on the piece by itself, most vary from $500 to $3,000.



“Older home furniture has more attraction and character and is developed far better than what you get these days,” claims Romero, commenting on an component that has contributed to midcentury furniture’s increase in attractiveness in modern years. Toth also adds that source chain issues have manufactured vintage home furniture much more appealing to buyers who can invest in it ideal away and provide it house the exact day.



Offered Sarasota’s heritage as a revolutionary town in the midcentury contemporary movement, it’s no surprise that the couple’s small business is booming. “Sarasota is a great place for us due to the fact of the heritage of midcentury households and collectors in this location,” suggests Toth. Nonetheless, locals fascinated in the style have had to travel to spots like Palm Springs, usually hailed as the midcentury cash of the globe. In the foreseeable future, the few sees on their own continuing to curate an upscale retailer and providing Sarasotans the possibility to shop for outstanding midcentury household furniture locally.
Retro Revival SRQ is situated at 6579 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. To learn additional and check out the pieces, check out their Etsy website or observe them on Instagram @retrorevival_srq.
