JEANNIE RICHEY – LEASING MANAGER FOR ALPHARETTA QUEEN OF HEARTS
Jeannie grew up in a small town near Pittsburgh, PA, and has been married to her childhood sweetheart for 47 years and they have 4 children and 7 grandchildren. She loves spending time with her family, interior decorating, and cooking.
Jeannie graduated Cum Laude from Fairmont State University with a degree in education and taught computer science at Woodward Academy and Pace Academy in Atlanta and The Episcopal School of Dallas, Texas. After retiring from teaching in 2002, she followed her dream of having an Interior Design/Gift Store called Simply Sophie in Dawsonville and Alpharetta. She became a dealer at The Queen in 2010 after closing her stores, and later became part of “The Queen” staff because of her love of retailing and we are so glad she did!
As leasing manager, she feels like she is the interior designer of the whole store and every month is a unique puzzle of placing new and veteran dealers in the perfect spot to showcase their merchandise. She looks for dealers who are serious about having a business and who are willing to work at their business several days a week. This means not just “fluffing” their booth, but regularly changing their merchandise. Jeannie knows with all her experience in retailing the hard work involved for dealers to be successful, so if dealers are looking for a little part-time hobby, the Queen may not be the place for them.
Jeannie is always looking for dealers with different or unique merchandise, especially wonderful antiques, whether that is vintage, retro, or repurposed, and is constantly in awe of the creativity of all our dealers. Her stewardship and commitment to finding the perfect dealers for our Alpharetta store is a major component of our success and has helped to make "The Queen" the best antique mall and why our customers return week after week!
VICKIE ROBINSON – LEASING MANAGER FOR BUFORD QUEEN OF HEARTS
Vickie has been married for 38 years and grew up in Snellville, GA. She has 2 daughters, 1 granddaughter and 1 grandson. She previously worked for Barrow County Schools for 20 years and has owned her own store called Vintage Grace. She enjoys collecting sea glass, shells and spending time with her grandchildren.
Vickie started working for the Buford Queen of Hearts in 2011 and is one of the main reasons the store has become the success it is today. Her favorite part about leasing space at the Queen is trying to find the best dealer-merchants for the Queen. She says that the dealers who are most successful at the Buford Queen are the ones that come in the store and work their booths at least twice a week, attend our free dealer-merchant training classes, and ask for help when needed. Dealers who get involved with the Queen’s events and promotions are also successful.
At the Buford Queen, she would like to see more vintage, antiques and primitives and less DVDs, CDs, and dollar items. She looks for dealers who work hard to adhere to Queen policies to make their business a success and who take advantage of the advertising the Queen of Hearts provides with their own social media. Vickie knows what it takes to be a dealer at the Queen because she is a dealer herself and knows that hard work pays off in great sales.
What advice does she give to potential dealers? Be dedicated, enjoy what you do, be involved with The Queen of Hearts activities, take advantage of Thursday late nights, Meet and Greet and the 1st Sunday of each month when we are open for dealers only from 9 to 12 to provide dealers time to work without customers! The Buford store has blossomed under her experience and leadership and she has done a great job of leasing booths to an assortment of dealer-merchants for every style and preference!
Jenny Ray was born in Mesa, Arizona and moved to Alabama when she was 2 ½ years old. She grew up on a farm in Fredonia, Alabama raising cattle and hay. She is currently single and has a son who is 37 years old. She worked previously at Kimberly Clark before starting her own business at the Queen of Hearts in 2003. She began working as staff for the Marietta Queen of Hearts when the original Marietta store opened on Canton Road in 2006, and helped to move the Marietta Queen to its new location on Sandy Plains Road in 2014. Her efforts and hard work paid off when we opened the Marietta store in November, 2014 with all spaces filled and a waiting list of dealers wanting to come in!
Besides finding treasures for her own booths at Alpharetta and Marietta, Jenny enjoys hiking and reading good books.
Her favorite part about leasing space at the Queen of Hearts is matching booths to dealer’s needs. All booths are individual work spaces and all dealers have their own individual looks and finding that perfect spot for them to showcase their merchandise is important to her. She finds that her most successful dealers are the ones that carry furniture and work their spaces 2 to 3 times a week. She encourages dealers to bring in more furniture, fill their booth spaces and keep stock rotated.
Over the years, her slogan has remained constant - Part time work equals part time pay. The Marietta Queen is lucky to have her expertise and guidance and she works hard to find the best fit for each dealer-merchant at the Marietta Queen!
As leasing manager, she feels like she is the interior designer of the whole store and every month is a unique puzzle of placing new and veteran dealers in the perfect spot to showcase their merchandise. She looks for dealers who are serious about having a business and who are willing to work at their business several days a week. This means not just “fluffing” their booth, but regularly changing their merchandise. Jeannie knows with all her experience in retailing the hard work involved for dealers to be successful, so if dealers are looking for a little part-time hobby, the Queen may not be the place for them.
Jeannie is always looking for dealers with different or unique merchandise, especially wonderful antiques, whether that is vintage, retro, or repurposed, and is constantly in awe of the creativity of all our dealers. Her stewardship and commitment to finding the perfect dealers for our Alpharetta store is a major component of our success and has helped to make "The Queen" the best antique mall and why our customers return week after week!
VICKIE ROBINSON – LEASING MANAGER FOR BUFORD QUEEN OF HEARTS
Vickie has been married for 38 years and grew up in Snellville, GA. She has 2 daughters, 1 granddaughter and 1 grandson. She previously worked for Barrow County Schools for 20 years and has owned her own store called Vintage Grace. She enjoys collecting sea glass, shells and spending time with her grandchildren.
Vickie started working for the Buford Queen of Hearts in 2011 and is one of the main reasons the store has become the success it is today. Her favorite part about leasing space at the Queen is trying to find the best dealer-merchants for the Queen. She says that the dealers who are most successful at the Buford Queen are the ones that come in the store and work their booths at least twice a week, attend our free dealer-merchant training classes, and ask for help when needed. Dealers who get involved with the Queen’s events and promotions are also successful.
At the Buford Queen, she would like to see more vintage, antiques and primitives and less DVDs, CDs, and dollar items. She looks for dealers who work hard to adhere to Queen policies to make their business a success and who take advantage of the advertising the Queen of Hearts provides with their own social media. Vickie knows what it takes to be a dealer at the Queen because she is a dealer herself and knows that hard work pays off in great sales.
What advice does she give to potential dealers? Be dedicated, enjoy what you do, be involved with The Queen of Hearts activities, take advantage of Thursday late nights, Meet and Greet and the 1st Sunday of each month when we are open for dealers only from 9 to 12 to provide dealers time to work without customers! The Buford store has blossomed under her experience and leadership and she has done a great job of leasing booths to an assortment of dealer-merchants for every style and preference!
JENNY RAY – LEASING MANAGER FOR MARIETTA QUEEN OF HEARTS
Jenny Ray was born in Mesa, Arizona and moved to Alabama when she was 2 ½ years old. She grew up on a farm in Fredonia, Alabama raising cattle and hay. She is currently single and has a son who is 37 years old. She worked previously at Kimberly Clark before starting her own business at the Queen of Hearts in 2003. She began working as staff for the Marietta Queen of Hearts when the original Marietta store opened on Canton Road in 2006, and helped to move the Marietta Queen to its new location on Sandy Plains Road in 2014. Her efforts and hard work paid off when we opened the Marietta store in November, 2014 with all spaces filled and a waiting list of dealers wanting to come in!
Besides finding treasures for her own booths at Alpharetta and Marietta, Jenny enjoys hiking and reading good books.
Her favorite part about leasing space at the Queen of Hearts is matching booths to dealer’s needs. All booths are individual work spaces and all dealers have their own individual looks and finding that perfect spot for them to showcase their merchandise is important to her. She finds that her most successful dealers are the ones that carry furniture and work their spaces 2 to 3 times a week. She encourages dealers to bring in more furniture, fill their booth spaces and keep stock rotated.
Over the years, her slogan has remained constant - Part time work equals part time pay. The Marietta Queen is lucky to have her expertise and guidance and she works hard to find the best fit for each dealer-merchant at the Marietta Queen!
We love our staff, dealers and customers - this Labor Day we give a big thank you to everyone who does their part at the Queen to make it a wonderful place to work & shop!
