I first heard about Lydia Beebe Safulko and her new vintage wares business, Roaring Spring Home, when I ran into some of her colorful glassware at Petal Pusher on Allen Street. I was immediately taken with the charmingly aesthetic touch, that went hand-in-hand with the lovingly curated presentation of the flower bar.
Before long, I was in touch with Lydia, who was in the process of opening Roaring Spring Home in the eclectic Hiraeth House collective – Roaring Spring Home’s entrance is on the Virginia Place side of the building, across from Mothers.
Lydia’s vintage showroom/shop is actually her “side hustle,” which allows her some downtime from taking care of her young family, her realty gig, and her full time job at M&T Bank. Oh yeah, she’s also a lawyer.
One might wonder how she has time to think, let alone run a vintage shop. But she told me that wanted to do something that would play off her passions. Since a young girl, she would go antique and vintage shopping with her mother.
Lydia Beebe Safulko
“I started antiquing with my mom in the Adirondacks when I was young,” said Lydia. “The name of the shop is from my mom – she grew up just outside of Roaring Spring, PA. I’ve always been a bit of a packrat in a lot of ways. When I decided to open the shop, my husband was supportive. I figured it was either time for a divorce, or I had to find a place for all this stuff [laughing].”
The dream of owning her own shop also came during the pandemic, when everyone was under lockdown. It was then that Lydia began to sell online. What started off as a whim became a full fledge reality when she started to do pop-ups at Hiraeth House. When a permanent space opened up she took it. Then she took over another space when that became available. Now, she occupies a good chunk of the first floor of the building – three rooms – which she shares with Megan Leith of barre[tend] Buffalo (who also owns Hiraeth House – learn more).
Lydia told me that she is driven by the hunt for special vintage objects, and then selling the objects to people who love and appreciate them. She also said that she feels that sometimes vintage gets a bad rap.
Pay a visit during a First Friday event, and also find Communitea, Cute Charcuterie, Nickel City Skincare, and Whimsy by Kelly – all at Hiraeth House
“Vintage doesn’t have to be canisters that your grandmother had sitting on her counter,” Lydia explained. “I go to thrift shops and estate sales, in search of things that I feel are beautiful – things that need a new life. We can’t just keep throwing things out – we need to reuse items instead of buying new ones all the time. As far as my favorite pieces, I have a whole wall of colored glass. I also love brass figurines. I’m a sucker for little vases and vessels. I can’t pass them up. And for the customers… they love the candlesticks of different kinds. And the glassware and the vases. When I sell, it’s validating. I like to bring a little cheer into people’s lives. I have an eclectic style. I try to collect items that are affordable – pretty things that won’t break the bank. I do have furniture and larger pieces, but for the most part everything is between 10 and 20 bucks. I want the shop to be accessible to everyone.”
Often times, we tend to pass by household items that get tossed in bins at thrift stores that we don’t even glance at. Some people (like Lydia) are great at identifying these little treasures, cleaning them up, and putting them out on screen. That’s when the magic happens, according to Lydia. And as far as estate sales, everyone loves to attend them, but there’s always the matter of finding the time. At Roaring Spring Home, Lydia makes it easy. It’s her job to scour over thousands upon thousands of duds, while picking out the cream of the crop, which she sells at her shop.
Currently, Roaring Spring Home is currently open limited hours and by appointment (see July schedule below), with more regular hours to come. You can also browse the goods on Instagram.
The address for Roaring Spring Home is 503 Delaware, but you will want to enter on the backside of the building, on Virginia Place, across from Mothers Restaurant. When you arrive, you will find plenty of goods to browse, including cufflinks, art, tableware, mugs, ice buckets, cocktail shakers, bar trays, mirrors, pitchers, trivets, napkin holders, bowls, salt and pepper shakers, picnic baskets, picture frames, jewelry boxes, and holiday items. These can all be yours… and the price is right.
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