Childhood dream realized

Published 8:12 pm Monday, June 30, 2014

ANTIQUES FOR SALE: Lynne Barzé shows some of the items she has for sale in her shop, such as these Pyrex bowls from decades back. Photo by Jeremy Pittari

ANTIQUES FOR SALE: Lynne Barzé shows some of the items she has for sale in her shop, such as these Pyrex bowls from decades back.
Photo by Jeremy Pittari

The lifelong dream of a local woman came true about 10 years ago when Lynne Adams Barzé opened Barzé Place in Picayune.

Born and raised in New Orleans, Barzé was always captivated by the quality of items made decades ago.

She said furniture made back then was sold to families as items that could be passed down through generations.

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Barzé recalled shopping for furniture as a child and remembering a salesman using the same pitch on her mother.

These days furniture is a disposable item, something to be used, tossed and purchased again, she said.

“We live in a disposable world,” Barzé said.

Now she runs Barzé Place in Picayune, an antique store that not only features items she sells, but items from consignors.

“We take the things that will never be made again and preserve them for the future,” Barzé said.

Her store opened in 2004 when she and a former business partner rented the building she currently occupies, but the business partnership dissolved in about four months. Barzé said she did not want to give up on her dream, and talked with the landlord to get a break on the rent for a short time until business picked up.

Ten years later the store is still there. In celebration of the anniversary, Barzé is offering a 10 percent discount on the items she sells, but not on consignment items.

Barzé says her store offers items that can’t be found in big box retailers, because they are all items made decades ago.

Most of the items she sells come from estate sales, which are cleaned before being sold. This means there is an ever-revolving amount of stock.

The thing she likes most about the items on her shelves is their quality construction. She pointed out some vintage Pyrex bowls, furniture, LP records, decorative glassware and traditional Japanese fish bowls, which resemble pots for plants.

Barzé Place also offers lay-a-way options, since she knows many of her best customers live on a fixed monthly income.

“I’ve always done it since day one,” Barzé said. “Because when we were coming up that’s how momma bought stuff.”

Previous to opening Barzé place, she worked for the Department of Defense for 30 years, before retiring early. Then in 1999 she and her husband moved to Picayune. Barzé began her retirement by sitting at home for about two years, but she became restless and started selling antique items at the local street fairs and festivals, and then set up a booth at the Calico Mall in Hattiesburg. Her experience at the Calico Mall has helped her run Barzé Place. Initially she used just the front of the building to offer rental spaces to consignors, but as the interest grew she employed the help of her husband to utilize the entire building.

Now they sell items not just for themselves, but for about 30 consignors as well.