Honeymoon Bungalow and Time Warp Boutique are the only vintage shops in Baton Rouge; other stores may have some vintage items. But Marsha Rish specializes in vintage, which means items in her stores are dated as mid-century, i.e. 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. When Rish and her husband decided to go into the antique business fulltime, they wanted a way to make the business unique so they decided to specialize in vintage items–furniture, housewares, decorative lighting and more.
Rish always wanted to own her own shop; even as a child she liked to play store. Her interest in the vintage business grew out of a hobby. At one time she rented a booth in Denham Springs, which did not work out because of the distance. Also “vintage did not sell well there.” Honeymoon Bungalow opened in 1998. Her husband came up with the name partly because people always say they still act like honeymooners. It seemed historically appropriate for two reasons: the bungalow is an architectural style from the early twentieth century arts and crafts movement and also small cottage motels often advertised themselves as ‘honeymoon bungalows’ to attract the wedding trade in the forties and fifties.
“Honeymoon Bungalow represents the whole of a couple’s life together, the items they’ve accumulated over the years, the things they saved for, the things they splurged on, the things they love.” The store is a vintage department store — furniture displayed in one area; kitchen items, another; and a separate room for the “library.” Rish loves books and only carries hardbacks at the store. She likes to read non-fiction, science, history and vintage comedy like James Thurber.
Time Warp started as six dresses in an armoire in Honeymoon Bungalow. The vintage clothes proved to be very popular and the customer base grew rapidly. In 2006 the store spun off to its own building, and now ninety percent of the stock is vintage clothing from the 20’s through the 80’s. Rish observes, “people buy more clothes than furniture.” And they follow fashion trends, so “if plaid is in at the department store, we carry vintage plaid.” Time Warp also carries vinyl records, turntables, bar and smoking collectibles, art works and gifts.