Entrepreneur Brings Vintage Charm to Alton with Honeybee Vintage
Melissa Bland, an entrepreneur and a client of the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for The Metro East at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, plans to inaugurate her cherished venture, Honeybee Vintage with a Grand Opening and ribbon-cutting on March 18, 2024, 10 a.m. at 114 E Broadway, Alton. Fueled by her passion for antiquing and thrifting, Bland wholeheartedly embraces her philosophy of “resale before retail.” This guiding principle has been put into practice when furnishing her home and dressing her children, and she believes that you can still have beauty, quality and spend less for it if you are willing to look.
Bland began working with the Illinois SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE in January 2023 when she decided to open a physical storefront. Realizing the importance of having a plan, she turned to the SBDC team for assistance. The SBDC has been instrumental in supporting her throughout the business startup process. Their guidance led her to connect with organizations such as the Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, the RiverBend Growth Association (RBGA), and Alton Main Street.
“The SBDC has been a tremendous source of information,” Bland expressed. “The staff members bring a breadth of business experience; along with practical know-how, from legal to accounting to marketing.”
Bland also competed in the 2023 Metro East Small Business Startup competition sponsored by the SBDC. After multiple rounds of judging, including the business plan, financial forecasts, and pitch presentations in front of local business leaders, Honeybee Vintage was awarded the Metro East Woman-Owned Small Business Startup for 2023. Honeybee Vintage is not only woman-owned but is also a marketplace for 14 independent woman-owned businesses.
Honeybee Vintage initially started its operation by renting spaces at the Alton Exchange Mall and Country Meadows. As the business grew, Bland had the opportunity to partner with Pasha Properties as they renovated an historic property in downtown Alton. She wanted to create a place for locals, day-trippers, and riverboat tourists to enjoy shopping for vintage and antique items. The location offers river views and the convenience of walking to other downtown shopping and restaurants.
The Honeybee Vintage tagline reads “Vintage, Antiques, and Other Sweet Finds.” The shop sells vintage and antique furniture, along with upscale resale home décor, handmade items, jewelry, and gifts. Bland has partnered with different vendors to offer vintage clothing, local art, painted furniture, and florals. They also feature upscale resale items like down pillows, lamps and rugs, which offer fresh accents to antique pieces in home interiors. Honeybee Vintage also offers DIY peel-and-stick wallpaper and Mud Paint furniture paint. In addition, Honeybee Vintage offers beeswax candles, local honey, honey-based chocolates, coffee, and cold drinks.
Looking towards the future, Bland envisions her shop becoming a part of the community, offering shopping nights, classes, or other special events. A “Bee-tique” of boutique resale children’s clothing is also planned within the shop. As the mother of a child with Down syndrome, Bland will offer products to benefit the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Saint Louis and has plans for other similar collaboration to benefit the community.
Bland may be contacted by email at hello@honeybeevintagealton.com. Follow Honeybee Vintage @honeybeevintagealton on all social media. Visit www.honeybeevintagealton.com to shop online, join mailing lists, sign up for a “Sweet Rewards” program, and purchase gift certificates.
“The SBDC is excited to see Melissa Bland’s hard work come to fruition with the storefront. Melissa has worked so hard to make this location a reality and a gem for the Alton area,” said SBDC Director Jo Ann Di Maggio May. “The SBDC looks forward to supporting Melissa and Honeybee Vintage for a long time to come.”
The Illinois SBDC for the Metro East assists entrepreneurs as well as existing business owners operating in the nine-county Metro East region of Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, Bond, Clinton, St. Clair, Washington, Monroe and Randolph. It enhances the region’s economic interests by providing one-stop assistance to individuals by means of counseling, training, research and advocacy for new ventures and existing small businesses.
SBDC’s in Illinois are funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement among the U.S. Small Business Administration, Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville as a service to the community. To learn how these no-cost services support new business ventures, contact the Metro East SBDC at (618) 650-2929 or sbdcedw@gmail.com.
PHOTO: Melissa Bland, owner, Honeybee Vintage
