Meet Tammy Quinn- Unrein and Brooke Kalik | Retro Bungalow, Owners

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tammy Quinn- Unrein and Brooke Kalik and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tammy Quinn- Unrein and Brooke Kalik, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Timing , vision and determination- Our dream was to open our own store and bring quality vintage , retro furniture and decor to buyers at affordable prices. We knew that there are some very high end mid century modern stores out there with amazing items but that maybe the people just starting to get into mid century modern couldn’t afford and we wanted to offer that affordability. We were two moms with very busy lives that wanted the flexibility to be with our families but also chase our dreams and be successful!

Timing was everything. We looked at several spaces to rent that just weren’t quite right and then found our current space and the minute we walked in we knew this was it!! And we went for it ! We just knew in our hearts this would work and it has ! We signed a lease, did our own tenant improvements and had our grand opening in 4 weeks.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
We love being told that our “prices are so affordable”. We want to always be set apart from other stores in that way. We want people to know they can walk through our doors and find something they can afford. We have a lot of pride in knowing we can help people decorate their living spaces and turn their house into a home. We have a wonderful gallery of client photos that they have sent in with how a dresser , art, sofa, chair, etc… fit into their picture of a perfect room. We work very hard to always have revolving inventory. To always provide new choices weekly. One of the biggest challenges is curating the pieces because we can’t just go into the back store room and find another vintage credenza. Mid century modern in particular is so popular right now that we have really had to hustle to curate the right pieces. We travel the state and the US to bring the best items in! Our mantra : Hustle, Hustle and Hustle!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Downtown and mid -town Phoenix is really a major revitalization ! For vintage shopping , mid town is fantastic! As far as eats and drinks in Phoenix, some of our favorites are The Womack, Seamus McCaffreys , The Churchill. Phoenix has it all really. In such a fast growing city , you can find live music, great food, theatre, you name it!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We want to give a huge shout out to our clients ! We opened up during a pandemic and the support we received during this time was amazing. Our clients have become our friends and we are privileged to show up for them. Major credit and love to our families who have been helping us this entire time. From words of support to their physical labor ! Shout Out to all of our friends and family !

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