Salvaged changes course after five years

After five years in business near Five Points, Salvaged owners Brynn Byerly and Michelle Long were at a crossroads.

“It was doing well, but it just wasn’t increasing for us,” Byerly said. “There’s just so much competition in the area now, so we thought about what we needed to do to differentiate ourselves from everyone and we kind of stepped back and re-evaluated like our business model and plan.”

The new look Salvaged reopened just before Thanksgiving in a space adjacent to its original home. It moved to make way for Byerly and Long’s other business Willow Marie Co., which opened its second location Fierce.

Salvaged parted ways with all but one of its vendors, and now focuses on a farmhouse, industrial vibe, Byerly said. They steered away from teals and bright colors and focused more on monotones – grays, whites and blacks.

They also took a hard look at their handwritten sales history and determined what was selling and what was not to better focus their new direction.

“We now know what style pieces we’re going to be incorporating in the store,” she said.

The new space may feel a little smaller to regular customers, she said, but that’s because everything is organized in vignettes. She said it’s important for customers to see how all the pieces, whether dining room table, a hutch or accent table, work together in a room setting.

For folks planning a shower, hosting a wedding or just throwing a party, Salvaged also has a rental section where a variety of pieces can be found. Cake stands, bride and groom chairs, signage and buffets are just a few of the items offered, she said.

Connected to Salvaged is Byerly’s other business, Haute Interiors, an interior design studio. As if three shops wasn’t enough, Byerly and her husband also flip homes and consult with homeowners to rejuvenate a space in their home.

Salvaged has also partnered with Flowers on Savannah. Owner Paul Miller recently moved his shop from the outskirts of Lewes to Salvaged, where he continues to offer all of the same services.

While she’s had some success over the last five years, Byerly said, owning a small business is hard, and she wants everyone to know how important it is to support local businesses.

“It’s just hard when places like HomeGoods and big box stores come in because they’re buying their stuff in bulk and they’re able to get things that are damaged or out of season and they can offer them at such low prices that it’s hard for us to compete,” she said.

One of the selling points of a small business like Salvaged is a wide selection of unique items and many pieces that can be altered by Byerly or her staff.

Over the last few years, she said they’ve also noticed a handful of other stores trying to do the same thing as them. That was another sign it was time to transition into something new, she said.

“It was a trying time for us,” she said. “We just decided we were going to hit it head on and make our changes and see where this new road takes us.”

Salvaged, 17370 Coastal Highway in Lewes, is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 12 to 4 p.m., Sunday. For more information, go to www.salvagedfurnitureparlour.com.