Mother and daughter Stacy Tomlinson, left, and Sydnei Kelly, right, owners of the three Bliss stores.

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - “Vintage bulbs. Like the old, German blown-glass bulbs,” said Stacy Tomlinson when asked what her favorite type of holiday merchandise was, referring to the fragile Christmas ornaments. And she knows a thing or two about holiday wares: she owns Midtown Bliss Home & Gifts with her daughter, Sydnei Kelly. Kelly’s favorite? Vintage Santa mugs.

Their Midtown store is home to about 110 vendors who rent space to display and sell anything vintage, clothing, furniture, home decor and gifts. November 2nd through the 5th was the “Big Holiday Reveal” at all three of the business’ locations, as they additionally have a similar store in Rancho Cordova and Roseville. Kelly said, “Basically it’s our big Christmas opening, so all of our vendors bring out all their Christmas (goods) for the first time.” Tomlinson added, thinking of her favorite tree decorations, “A lot of people (vendors) search for vintage ornaments year-round so they can bring them in for the holidays.”

“Hanging Santa Face,” with full, white beard, $15. For sale at Midtown Bliss Home & Gifts.

The mother and daughter are part of the holiday fun, as well. Kelly said, “We decorate the stores, too. We put out lots of trees, lots of ornaments, garlands. Yeah, the garlands. My favorite.”

Their Midtown location is just a half block away from the Natural Foods Co-op, a greenish-blue warehouse next to the light rail tracks on R Street. A big, intentionally rusty “Midtown Bliss Home & Gifts” sign out front hints at the vintage nature of the articles for sale inside.

The front of Midtown Bliss Home & Gifts, shortly before opening on a weekday morning.

The mother and daughter had an aha moment before opening the location in February 2020. Tomlinson said, “We were doing a holiday breakfast at my youngest daughter’s house on Q Street and…I saw the empty warehouse for lease.” Kelly continued, “We looked at each other.” Then her mom added, “And her (Kelly’s) husband said, ‘Hey. This could be Bliss’ second location,’ and we all started laughing because we were thinking it (too).” The first Bliss location opened in Rancho Cordova more than seven years ago. It is called “Bliss Marketplace,” and it is their largest store. Of the Midtown warehouse Kelly said, “It just looked so magical over there by itself. A beautiful white building.”

Tomlinson had some background on the building’s previous occupants. She said, “I think it was a plumbing store. Plumbing supply.” Kelly added, “In the beginning, we would have people coming in looking for a certain part, and they’d walk in and they’re like, ‘What is this?’”

Something entirely different. Tomlinson said, “Around every corner there’s something new.” Kelly then said, “You’re not going to find anything there that you’re gonna see anywhere else, really. And we’re gonna treat you like family.”

Candles and other Christmas wares for sale at Midtown Bliss Home & Gifts.

Mindy Tidwell, originally from Salinas, but now retired in the Sacramento area, is a vendor and manager at the Midtown store, and she used the term “Bliss family.” She said the store is a great place to meet people to befriend. She said of herself, “They call me the lamp lady.” She is into vintage lamps.

Midtown Bliss Home & Gifts managers Dianna Bennett, in-training, left, and Todd Grisham, right.

It seems the family is not limited to just humans. Tidwell said, “We love dogs. We’ve even had parrots (in the store).”

Gaby Marble brought in her Frenchie Pug, Augie, to accompany her while shopping at Midtown Bliss Home & Gifts.

As for the other vendors? Kelly said, “For the most part they’re local. We have some folks that come from as far as Galt and Yuba City.” Tomlinson added, “We’ve had somebody as far as the Grapevine have space with us.” Every item in the store has a price and vendor number on it, making selling remotely possible for the merchants.

The customers are considered part of the family, as well. Kelly explained what brings them to the warehouse. “Some like more of the true vintage, and others I think like the idea that they’re shopping secondhand instead of shopping big box…And supporting small business.”

Christmas throw pillows, in French, for sale at the Midtown location.  

The mother and daughter in the family have different roles in the business. Tomlinson lives in Fair Oaks and manages the day-to-day operation of the stores, whereas her daughter works on marketing and advertising: anything computer-related. She lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee, after moving away from Sacramento in August 2021, frustrated with COVID-19 restrictions.

She is making her own Christmas traditions in her household there. Kelly said, “The kids help me decorate the tree, and essentially I put all of my vintage, like really delicate bulbs, on the top of the tree, and I have a bunch of plastic, kind of cheapo ornaments that I let them (her kids) put on the bottom of the tree.” Her children are four, six, and eight years old. As far as Kelly’s mother’s Christmas customs? Tomlinson said, “I’m so busy with the stores. It’s hard.”

The mother and daughter took the time to interview with this newspaper the day after Halloween. Kelly had flown back to Sacramento to help with the Big Holiday Reveal. The customers are attracted to the store during the holidays, as well. Kelly said, “I would say our customers turn out for the holidays. So, for Halloween they go all out to buy all the Halloween merchandise our vendors put out. And the same for Christmas.”

If you would like to display and sell your own merchandise, Kelly said you simply go to their website, vintageblissmarketplace.com, and fill out a vendor information form. That will get you on a waitlist, and when space becomes available you get an email letting you know you can come in and set things up with a manager.

 

Store Locations and Hours:

Midtown Bliss Home & Gifts

2722 R St., Sacramento, 95816

Tue. - Sun. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Bliss Marketplace

2529 Mercantile Dr. Suite C, Rancho Cordova, 95742

Thu. - Sun. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Bliss Market

390 Roseville Square, Roseville, 95678

Tue. - Sun. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.