Justin Grow is one of our salvage buyers. Like many of our salvage folks, Justin’s eclectic background informs his work. He’s studied historic preservation. His father was a fine artist who loved restoration projects. His mother taught music and owned a frame shop. He grew up visiting antique stores with his parents and “playing” with salvage. Together all these experiences have helped him understand the mysterious connection between salvage objects and the people who find them. Here Justin recounts the story of a salvage transaction that took place in our Portland store.

Recently, an antiques dealer came through our store on his was back to Albuquerque, New Mexico. He had a nice old sign – a vintage Mobile Pegasus – and after a bit of research, we agreed to purchase it.  I brought it inside, and within 20 minutes I was approached by a gentleman named Jim who was shopping our salvage area.

 Salvaged Mobile Pegasus sign awaits installation 

It just so happens that Jim owns a building less than a mile from our Portland store, which he is currently renovating into a spiffy high-end auto restoration shop. Jim collects automotive memorabilia and, coincidentally, had been looking for this exact sign for some time. After some neighborly dickering, money exchanged hands and Jim became the proud owner of the Mobile Pegasus sign.

Though we only owned our Pegasus briefly, we did get attached, and we’re very happy he has found a worthy home.