Think 18th-, 19th-century antiques won't fit your home decor? Think again, Scottsdale entrepreneur says
After a successful career in the antiques industry, native Phoenix resident Tod Carson decided to sell his Southern California shops and return to his hometown to retire.
But his retirement didn't last long.
“I realized that 57 was too young to retire,” said Carson, the owner of Tod Carson Antiques, his Scottsdale shop that specializes in 18th- and 19th-century French and English pieces.
The arrival of COVID-19 also aided in that realization. In the early months of the pandemic, Carson’s housekeeper contracted a very bad case of the virus. At that time, everyone was told to stay home and quarantine and, if you were exposed to the virus, completely isolate for three weeks.
Carson followed those instructions to a T and went nowhere. He spent more time on his computer and reconnected with friends and colleagues from whom he used to purchase antiques in Europe.
Carson noticed that there weren't any antique shops in the Valley that specialized in the pieces he did. This jump-started his post-retirement plan to come out of retirement.
By then, Carson had sold all the inventory from his previous store. He had to start from scratch.
“I started buying through old vendors through the computer and through emailed photos,” Carson said.
He eventually imported enough inventory to open his store in the Seville Shopping Center in 2021. Carson admitted that opening during a pandemic was not easy. After navigating the first several months, he has found steady ground.
Today, Carson’s 2,100-square-foot shop and 5,000-square-foot warehouse are filled. His hunch that there was a void in this specific space of the antiques world was correct. Carson said he has sold as many as 22 pieces in a month.
“I realized there was a market here. I’ve got designers and collectors who usually go to Dallas or San Francisco,” Carson said.
The striking linear features and columns that are distinctive to 18th- and 19th century European period pieces appealed to Carson when he got into antiques and antique dealing. These characteristics blend well with contemporary furniture, he explained, making them versatile and practically a timeless fit for 21st-century homes.
“I find that these work in traditional environs but also contemporary environs as centerpieces and accessories,” Carson said.
Among Carson’s biggest sellers are 19th-century French paintings. Chandeliers of all sizes, large tables and smaller items that serve as accent pieces on end tables or hanging decor are also among his inventory.
Several have interesting ties to Arizona. Carson has a pair of large book cabinets made of mahogany and walnut with the original glass and hardware that were owned by the Stillmans of McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park.
“The interior is illuminated. This was back when no one did that,” Carson said of the 1850 cabinets that are in mint condition.
A pair of mirrors that once belonged to Charles H Keating Jr. also are in his shop. Keating purchased the 19th century Chippendale-style mirrors from France. He hung the 68-inch-tall mirrors in the former Mary Elaine’s restaurant at the Phoenician resort, which Keating founded.
“A lot of people come in out of curiosity. Especially people who have not traveled a lot, they want to see what they are,” Carson said.
About 30% of Carson’s clientele are interior designers, with 70% individual collectors and homeowners, he said.
Laura Thilman is one of them. For the past two years, the Paradise Valley resident has purchased many pieces for herself and others, a number of them hostess and wedding gifts.
Thilman stops in the shop every two weeks, and even if she’s not planning to make a purchase, she usually ends up walking away with something new. She said she likes the inventory Carson curates and the vast selection of items most would not expect to find, such as coffee table books, silver pieces and little eye-catching wares.
“It’s not your typical antiques place. You’re not going to see just old furniture. It’s far more diverse than that,” Thilman said. “There’s something for everyone.”
A third-generation Arizonan, Carson graduated from Brophy College Preparatory and the University of Arizona before heading to New York City. There, he entered the fashion industry working as a buyer and holding positions in design and production for big names such as Bloomingdale’s and Hugo Boss.
Carson spent his weekends frequenting museums, where he learned about antiques and the business. It remained a side interest to his main gig in fashion, which brought him to Los Angeles in 1994. That same year, the devastating Northridge earthquake hit the San Fernando Valley and destroyed the business Carson was set to work for.
In response, Carson decided to put his hobby onto an entrepreneurial path. He created a business plan for an antiques store and quickly became a regular on the Southern California flea market scene.
“I went to every place, every small-town auction … places I didn’t know existed,” Carson recalled.
Once he built up enough inventory, Carson opened his shop later that year in Santa Monica. In 1998, he started to hone his purchases and imports on France and England and the period he specializes in today.
Carson is part of a U.S. antiques store industry that is valued at $4 billion with about 13,249 operating businesses, according to IBISWorld.
An increase in the number of customers under age 40 indicates the interest in older, quality pieces isn’t reserved for older generations. Part of the reason lies in the truly one-off characteristics of an authenticated antique.
“You’ve got one desk in one wood available in only these measurements with a condition report,” Carson said. “There’s a lot more to it than being a coffee table from Restoration Hardware.”
The diverse selection of pieces, each that comes with its own unique story and history, draws an equally diverse audience. Carson delves into the background of each piece in his shop so he can share it with those who walk through his doors.
“The part that’s most fun for me is going to France and buying,” Carson said. “The most rewarding part is having someone come in, look at that piece, be able to tell them all about it, and then they buy it.”
What: Tod Carson Antiques
Where: 7001 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite C-138, Scottsdale
Employees: Two
Interesting stat: The antiques store industry in the U.S. is valued at $4 billion, according to IBISWorld.
Details: 480-466-7368, todcarsonantiques.com
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tod Carson Antiques in Scottsdale focuses on 18th-, 19th-century items
