TVM Spotlight | Lazy Day Antiques

Lisa Volland just began her 36th (and final) year of teaching. You can find her Lazy Day Antiques booth in the lower level of Topeka Vendors Market crammed full of fun vintage and antique finds.

How did you get into the business of being an antique dealer?

I have had a floral business, Botanical Designs by Lisa, since 2001, where I make wreaths and swags from artificial florals. My signature piece is a sled swag and I put those on vintage and antique wooden sleds. Between searching for wooden sleds and joining my dad in the 1990s to buy all of the kerosene oil lamps we could find, I definitely caught the bug for searching out and purchasing antiques. When the outbreak of COVID shut down craft shows, I started doing more with antiques. I wandered into an auction and left with my car packed inside and on top! I now sell my finds and treasures through Lazy Day Antiques, on eBay, and a few other local antique booths.

What can we find in your booth?

I love searching for and selling antique pedal cars, metal items like vintage metal lawn furniture, metal primitives, MCM (mid-century modern) chairs. I also look for Early American Pattern Glass, lamps and antique toys and and typewriters.. It has been interesting to watch the evolution of items sought after by buyers, for example how the demand for vintage items took over antiques not long ago.

I teach full-time, so I do this part time until I retire at the end of this year (but I’m not counting the days, at least not out loud!). I think the best parts of all of this are the people you meet and the constant search for those special treasures!