Meet Kelly Crossley | Owner & Operator, Modern Vintage Marketplace

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

Hi Kelly, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve worked in corporate America for my entire adult career. In 2022, I decided to leave corporate and take some time for me. This time allowed me to witness where my passions and interests were naturally. I found myself aligning with vintage items. I started reselling online and quickly realized having an actual storefront would be the next best step.

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 own a vintage store that focuses on the rare, unique and unusual items you don’t normally see these days. We offer new, vintage, and antique home decor, collectibles, clothing and accessory items. We pride ourselves on our amazing customer service. We like to partner with our customers to look for items they’re searching for. If we find them, they get first dibs at them before they hit the sales floor. We also help people understand what they have…history, value, and how to do the research themselves.
As a “corporate” person my whole career, being a small business owner/operator has been very educational. I have a whole new respect for small businesses. It’s definitely the hardest you’ll ever work for free. Ha Ha!! Dealing with commercial landlords, county regulations, building departments, the state of Colorado and POS companies was all new to me. It’s amazing to me how many things new small business owners are just expected to know. Almost nothing is documented and no one tells you anything ahead of time. There’s truly a need for a small business playbook.
Takeaway – We want customers to feel comfortable at our store. Sing along to the curated music, geek out with us on items, share stories and memories with us are some examples.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would start the trip by booking 2 nights in Black Hawk including a spa treatment
I would make a list of all my favorite places to eat and drink – including Snooze, The Happy Camper and Avery Brewery
I would show her my list of “Want to visit” food and drink places for her to vote on trying with me for the first time
When people visit us here in Colorado we usually take them to Garden of the Gods, Manitou Cliff Dwellings, the Georgetown Loop Train, and a quick trip off-roading in the mountains.
Finish the trip with some down time – relaxing outside with a few drinks and good company.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Even though I worked very hard to be successful during my career in corporate and as a small business owner, I didn’t do it without the support, mentorship, and encouragement of many people. I have been truly blessed to have many mentors/sponsors. So many people have taken the time to invest in me, teach me, and help me figure this out for myself. As much as you learn from the positive people in your life, you can learn just as much on the flip side. I always tell others it’s just as important to learn what not to do or how not to act.
Thank you to all of those who’ve helped shape me over the years!!

Website: https://modernvintagemarketplace.com

Instagram: @mvmretail

Linkedin: Modern Vintage Marketplace

Facebook: @mvmretail

Other: TikTok: @mvmretail