Check Out Shayne Parker’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shayne Parker.

Hi Shayne, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve collected and traded forever, literally don’t remember starting as a kid, just seems like I’ve always done it. While I’ve always sold some on the side to further my collection, I didn’t start as a business until about ten years ago after I had some complications from a surgery and was off work for half a year. I had a good job to go back to if it didn’t work out so it was the perfect time to start as a business. I was a low-level drug dealer and petty criminal as a teen and in my early 20s but decided to work hard to better myself and worked my way up into logistics management over the years and hated every workday I ever had. I knew I didn’t want to work a traditional job and knew I didn’t want to live the lifestyle I did when I was younger so I had to make this happen. Now I work twice as hard for half the money but love every second of it.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Noooo. The famous quote “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” is a bold lie. To make a living doing something you love, working for yourself takes twice as much hard work and hustle than working for someone else. After having the store for three years, we moved to our current location in February 2020. Did a basic remodel and opened on a Saturday in March. The following Monday, we were closed down for covid and it was June before we actually reopened. Running a niche retail business during a pandemic has been a STRUGGLE.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Our business model is to sell the best stuff as cheap as we can. It’s important to us that these items are affordable and that they go to the right home. It sounds cheesy and it’s counterproductive to business but you’re not guaranteed to buy whatever you want in the store. If it’s an item that I love and has meaning to it, I feel it’s my role to get it to where it belongs, not necessarily the first person with money in hand. I like to think that, along with our great customer service is what we’re known for and what sets us apart in vintage retail. That and weird shit.

How do you define success?
Being able to earn an honest living doing something you enjoy while maintaining your beliefs and bettering yourself everyday.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @deadpeoplesthings
• Facebook: Dead People’s Things