Maetiques was created by my husband and I, in our first home in South Louisiana July of 2022. We developed this brand out of pure love, and that is exactly what we have gotten in return.
While I have always been deeply fascinated by home interiors, Maetiques was built to give me hope. I was suffering from crippling anxiety and depression. To keep it simple, I was struggling without an outlet. I always did what was "next". Go to school, check. Get a job, check. Get married, check. Get a home, check. It was a linear progression that I am privileged to have had, but never felt fulfilled with what I was creating and putting into the world. I felt as if I didn't have purpose. I never filled my void, and I didn't even know what void I needed to fill. But what I did know was that I was darn good at designing, and I loved the French - enter Maetiques.
I was that child that redecorated her childhood room over a dozen times. Sixty pounds soaking wet moving dressers, beds, and vanity sets all by myself - yep, that was me. Then, I would go to my friend's house next door and decorate her room with the treasures we found at garage sales in the subdivision. While the parents didn't love the paint scuffs on their walls, they couldn't deny our bursting energy. I'd love to say this ended in college, but it didn't. Even as a poor college student I would drag dressers that were at the dumpster, get them home, sand it down, repaint, and repurpose it. It was never ending! Every time my girlfriends would come over, I'd have a show-and-tell of all the new decor I scored at various places. It wasn't until my husband, and I purchased our first home (and got our jobs) that we really delved into antique home decor and delved in HARD. I spent every waking moment at antique store. Before work, after work, at lunch - you name it. I was there. The thrill of treasure hunting lured me in and kept me hooked!
I couldn't help but feel attached to the European, Parisian, traditional decor - something that truly made me feel authentic to myself (unlike the HomeGoods pillow section). The stories that came with the antiques is what stuck with me the most - when I look at my collection, I remember who I was with when purchasing, the laughs we had when I squealed in an antique store over an incredible find, and the life it had before it fell into my hands. Something about that is just so romantic.
We base many of our designs through our love for France, and Europe as a whole. We knew from the beginning I wanted my space to be filled with authentic European antiques. That's where all the really old cool stuff is, right? I have been attached to Paris from the beginning of grade school when I began learning the French language. They taught French in our Louisiana primary schools due to the direct cultural influence of France - and boy, oh boy, do I love my sweet Louisiana. In college, I studied abroad in Paris, then got engaged to my husband in Paris, and ultimately, we built our Maetiques brand there. I am absolutely enamored with anything and everything French - so much so, when brainstorming with my husband on what our shop name should be - he came up with "Maetiques", my nickname "Mae" + my favorite decor. Meanwhile, I was typing feverishly into my iPhone "how to say antiques in French", thank goodness for him. Our shop name would have been something incredibly difficult to pronounce and design!
Getting the idea to start the shop was one thing, but building Maetiques was a different beast. Who knew the antique world was this big?! Starting out as the new kid on the block, it was easy to feel discouraged. Going live with 4 people watching (3 of which were my family), selling things for less than I bought them for, and attempting to build a community were all scary things. We only shopped at thrift stores when I started Maetiques, that's the only way I could justify the cost of inventory. Do you know how hard it is to find true treasures at the thrift store?! It's possible, but it requires CONSTANT searching and time - and we didn't have time with a full-time job. Don't get me wrong, I love the thrifts, but I knew it wasn't sustainable for me and my shop with my limitation on time.
Then, we rebranded. We leaned in heavy to the "tique" portion of our name, what we really came to create here, right? Ha - boy was that a journey too. If I was going to focus on antiques, what I truly loved, I had to change my entire strategy and take BIG monetary risk because antiques were A LOT more expensive type of inventory and investment to hold on to. What if it didn't sell? How would I recoup the money? Doug and I talked for hours about this transition, and because of his support, I jumped. I started buying antiques that spoke to me, things that I would actually put inside my own home. Quality over quantity. And, really, the rest is history...
When I look back at the history and the growth of Maetiques, I am truly shocked we made it this far. How did I not give up? But there is one thing I am proud of myself for - I always stayed true to myself and my shop. When we knew something wasn't right, we rebuilt. While we may have sold our fair share of items that weren't necessarily our style at one point in time, we remained true to we are at our core. We led with kindness, grace, and pure dedication. We shipped items quickly - even if it meant we had to stay up until 3am. We jumped at opportunities - even if it meant we had to cancel personal plans. We. Did. Not. Stop. We would have sales that barely made a profit, not enough to justify the cost of materials for shipping (shoutout to Doug's Deals)- we did it anyway. I have never worked this hard in my life for anything- that's one thing I know for certain. We now have a community of loyal customers who tell me about their own antique purchases, their families, and attend every live sale! I wouldn't trade them for the world - they are considered household names in our home, and we are beyond blessed to have them in our lives.
We have learned so much through this business, and not just business tools. We have rebuilt our faith, strengthened our marriage, and learned about who we are as people. The lessons Maetiques has taught me is richer than any sale we will ever have. You have helped us create a business we are proud of, and for that we will always be thankful. Let's see what's next, shall we?