Greetings from Maureen at Cottage Panache Antiques


So glad you stopped by my blog!
Cottage Panache is currently going through some changes.
Soon, I will be offering items for purchase online. Special event sales will be held occasionally and will be posted here, on facebook and on my website:
http://www.cottagepanacheantiques.com/

Click here to visit the online shoppe!

Click here to visit the online shoppe!
Link to online blog shop

Saturday, April 24, 2010

What is Junk or Junque! A four letter word or as I prefer SIX!

How about some clean junque'! These antique bottles have the words Lysol, Clorox and Hydrogen Peroxide in raised lettering! Also very Cool Junque' to!

Now this French Chaise is some  junque' that I don't mind laying (or fainting) upon! Very pretty junque' in very good and almost perfect shape? It is on casters and very easy to move around! Bought 3 weeks ago at a very nice Estate (I mean junque') Sale!
I looked up the word junk in a 1946 dictionary and couldn't find it ~ no such word! Then in a newer one and there was a picture of a China boat ~ called a junk! Then a friend, Sondra looked it up in an even newer one and it said ~ trash, refuse! Now some dealers in the business and blog friends, without hesitation have the work junk in their name. There is even a magazine called Junk Market Style, a book publication of ~ I think it might be Junk Style Decorating. I know Cathy and Deidre of The Girls Gone Junkin ~ I could go on and on! Do you have to spell junk ~ junque', for it to be stylish or for it to be good junk (junque)? Should I be offended by the letter that I received from this city that my shop is in, referring to my junque as junk? Let's see maybe instead of Cottage Panache Antiques, Gifts & Decor ~ I should have called it ~ My Lil Junk Cottage or My Cottage Full of Junk or perhaps ~ Panache Junque Cottage ~ WHATEVER!!!
When I received the letter dated June 20, 2010 (which was hand delivered ~ supposedly before I opened on Thursday~and placed on my porch doormat on the 21st) I was aghast with disgust of their description of my type of store! It read ~ NO JUNK DEALER, SECONDHAND DEALER, SECONDHAND SCRAP METALS DEALER OR PAWNBROKER SHALL TRANSACT OR ENGAGE IN BUSINESS WITHIN THE CITY UNLESS OR UNTIL HE SHALL HAVE OBTAINED AN ANNUAL LICENSE, WHICH MAY BE PROCURED BY COMPLYING WITH THE APPLICABLE STATE LAW AND REQUIREMENTS OF THIS ARTICLE. 
It states that I must pay the application fee of $100.00 for the permit and it lasts one year.
They will begin going to businesses on May 17, 2010 and begin enforcing and inspecting and if the permit is not posted at that time a citation will be issued.
Now, I am over the fact that they think that I am a junk dealer! Junque is good ~ right? And I have some good junque here (that's the way I will spell junk from now on~so there!) My question is ~ how can they give us "Junk/Secondhand dealers" less than 30 days to comply? I don't even know if that is legal or not!
Money is tight ~ I just went to the dentist and forked over more than $1500.00 for that work! I paid the local sales tax that I collected last year ~ and paid my personal property tax for my shop and inventory (hey wait a minute ~ I think I paid the wrong percentage! I am licensed as an Antique Dealer on my permit and paid at that rate ~ don't they owe me some money back, after all junk is junk to them. The definition of junk ~ trash and refuse!  Junk should be in a lower tax bracket ~ right? I already paid for a license to run this business by registering and getting that most important Certificate of Occupancy after making repairs that the inspectors required of my building! Geez! What's a junker like me to do?
Here's where you all come in ~ please tell me if you will and under no uncertain terms that I am wrong about this!!!  Twenty-six days is what they gave us to comply! Are they trying to chase us away from their fair (!!!) city or what? Or are they just broke like the rest of us! PLEASE leave a comment, and if you think, I'm making too much of a dealer about this, let me know that too. Law buffs out there ~ did they give us enough time.? I didn't want to go into full detail about other details for compliance ~ example ~ purchase and selling of goods ~ logging every item with the following: All junk dealers, secondhand dealers and all pawnbrokers doing business or offering to do business in the city shall at all times keep on hand record books in which shall be legibly written by the dealer at the time of any such transaction an accurate description in the English language of the article purchased by or deposited with the junk dealer, secondhand dealer or pawnbroker; the amount of money paid for such article or loaned thereon; the date and time of purchase or deposit; the name, age, sex, signature, residence and race of the person selling or depositing such article; the source and the place from which such article came or was obtained by the seller or depositor, as reported by the seller of depositor; and such other records as required by state law.
A junk dealer, secondhand dealer or pawnbroker shall require every person selling any property to him or depositing any item with him to produce a driver's licence or other government issued photograph identification. A junk dealer, secondhand dealer or pawnbroker shall also obtain from each seller or depositor of any property and insert in the registration book the number of of such identification and when it expires. If for any reason the seller does not possess a driver's license or other government issued photograph identification , the reason for no possessing such license shall be set forth in the registration book. 
Each lot, sack, barrel, box or other container of junk or other merchandise purchased by or deposited with licensee shall be kept intact and have written or stamped in a conspicuous place either on the contain or if no container on one of the articles the serial number of the report made as set out in section#$#$*%&-*(*&, which numb er shall at all times be kept plain and legible. Such number shall be affixed on every secondhand article b y means of a tag on which is legibly printed the corresponding serial number of the report of sale and purchase required by section blah, blah , blah, blah!
Unless otherwise prohibited in state law, each item of junk and each secondhand article shall be retained in its original form, shape and condition for a period of ten days after such purchase or deposit, during which time no part of such junk or other merchandise shall be sold or permitted to be redeemed or removed from the business of such dealer.
No junk dealer, secondhand dealer or pawnbroker shall purchase or receive for deposit or have in his possession any article of junk or secondhand article from which the manufacturer's serial number or brand has been removed or obliterated.
Each article purchased by or deposited with any junk dealer, secondhand dealer or pawnbroker shall at all reasonable times be open to inspection by any member of the police force of the city.
No junk dealer, secondhand dealer or pawnbroker shall purchase or receive in pledge or on deposit for any purpose any article from any minor or which may be owned or claimed  by or in the possession of or control of any minor unless the parent or guardian of the minor shall state in writing that such transaction took place with such parent or guardian's full knowledge and consent, which written statement shall be signed by the parent or guardian and have thereon the address and telephone number, if any, of such parent or guardian.
Oops, I forgot, I wasn't suppose to be going into great detail, was I! ? Well here's some more junque' you might like to see! So sorry for the rambling!
And Congratulations ~ you've got junque'! This little bell is so cute and tiny, isn't it?!

This pin was made during the WW by I suspect an enlisted or drafted soldier while out there in a bunker at war, thinking about his only love, Barbara! It's made from stripped down radio wire and radio solder, you know the kind that you see inside an old junque' radio with the orange solder! Romantic Junque' is so cool! I think I'll put this on Etsy! But right now it's still in my junque shop Cottage Panache for sale! Oh I bought this at an Estate Sale 4 weeks ago in Euless!
Oops! I forgot this junque' is no  longer available as it sold to another Junque' dealer ! But you may still have another chance to own them as this Junque' dealer may put them on Etsy or Ebay.

So, how does this all apply to a retail Antique, gift and decor store? I am not a pawnbroker and I don't buy Diamond rings and gold jewelry, scrap metal like copper and I don't buy video games or hardware like that! I shop at estate sales, garage sales, other antique malls and other small shops and auctions, including online auctions and sales! Can you imagine if I had to ask each and every one of them for an affidavit that they really own what they are trying to sell and that Oh By The Way can I get your full given name, license number date of birth, address, sex, race, signature, how much did you pay for it and where and when did you get it!!!  uuuuuuuhhaa! WHEW! GEEZ ! LOUISE! Try saying that without taking a breath! I love Junque! Don't ya love it ~ ya just gotta love it!
I really love the Earthy tones of Junque' like these quail eggs nestled with a pretty vintage hankie.Happy Earth week! Now this junque' sold at Cottage Panache today to a customer! Sorry you missed out but don't worry I have more earthy junque' left to go around!

About 6 weeks ago I bought this from a sweet little lady! I will call him my Junque' dog. He is very heavy and made from cast iron. I think this is some Old Junque'! Saweet!
Now they had better not call my Bessie Junk! She even has a music box and she has held up for a long time! Okay, I guess if it pleases you ~ you may call her Bella Junque"

Now please if you will (I know this was like reading a short story novel!) please leave a comment about my City Saga!
Thank you and Adieu!
Maureen

6 comments:

  1. Hello....nice stuff !! have a happy sunny sunday...........hugs from me Ria

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  2. I think you need to make a call to your city councilman and have a little heart to heart. I can't believe this. I'm assuming that they gave you a COO before you opened your doors. Do they not know the difference between junque and cr@p...it's pretty obvious. Seriously, talk to your representative and see what you need to do.
    Debbie
    P.S. I'd be so tempted to just let them have it, but you know what they say about catching flies with honey!

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  3. Oh my.....I am so sorry you are having to deal with this crap...and that's what it is. It may take talking to a few different people, but I wouldn't stop until I got to the Mayor...this is totally ridiculous....I know within the City of Arlington I am supposed to get all that information if I buy things people bring into the shoppe because they could be stolen, etc. But not when I'm out there buying my daily inventory at estate sales, etc. just too silly!!! Hang in there.
    jana

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  4. Maureen,

    What a surprise to see your latest post. Yet another obstacle to overcome. The only reason I can think that this one presents itself is that there must be an influx of stolen goods out there that are being sold to "dealers" for resale purposes. It is not always easy to track down stolen goods, but the kind of treasures you sell should not fall under that category of pawn like businesses. Have you questioned the City about that? Wow, what a harsh set of rules to follow for "dealers"! Kinda makes you wanna crawl into a hole and just forget about it? ~ Angela

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  5. Maureen, thanks for visiting my blog. I will be posting pictures of the different fabrics. I'm just reading about this new law?What? They started to do the same thing within the city limit of the town next to me. How much more hassle are we going to have to endure in order to run our business? I'm hardly keeping up as it is. How many more fees, senseless laws are we going to have to keep up with?. We love what we do but is not an easy job. Then if we were to consider the fact that those coming up with this ideas are the same people that are supposed to serve, empower and protect us. It is all about the money. I work hard, the government have not given me anything, I work for every penny. For them to request all this info is just a way to justify the charges. Do you know that they have been stealing from all the antique shops in town and the police or the judges overseeing the cases are doing nothing about it? So all that info is going to serve us in what way? We are the back bone of this economy, us small business owners. You think we will get more respect. Argg...it makes me sick, sorry about the venting but to me it is such a personal attack. Go tax, punish and impose the stupid rules on Wall Street. I just want to make an honest living. Blessings,Marta. Let us know the end of it.

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  6. Maureen,
    I'm telling you the bureaucracies of city government are totally bogus! It's all about money. I think they pick on small business owners because they can scare them, & they/you don't have the money to hire attorneys to fight it. I would fight this as hard as you can, dang call channel 8 or something. Write something & send it to Star Telegram for the editorial page. Make a stink publicly & they won't like that. I saw the letter & it is copied & pasted onto an old document. Plus they didn't even bother to put a stamp on it! Real professional. Oh well, there's my rant. LOL Fight it girl! Lisa

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Comments always welcome here!