When Sandy Carol’s youngest child went off to college, she found herself with more free time than she had been used to in the past 22 years. As someone who always took pride in her home and was constantly redecorating, Carol began attending estate sale auctions online and eventually her home was filled with vintage items that she “just couldn’t pass up,” she says.

Just two years later, her newfound hobby has turned into a business venture, and she officially opened her own boutique, The Elegant Nest, in September in Garden City.

Carol’s handyman introduced her to local estate auctions, where she began her initial collection of vintage items — mostly home decor and furniture.

“I just bought the things I personally loved,” Carol says, but after a while, the items she loved were filling

See Full Page