Easing the Challenge of Change

Sisters Linda and Theresa Turino of Two Sisters Antiques & Collectibles.

You realize that you can no longer live in your home. You understand that you need to downsize and part with some possessions, but leaving a home in which you’ve enjoyed so many memories is hard. Facing this major change can be very difficult to handle. How can you make this change easier to manage? Enter Two Sisters Antiques & Collectibles.

Two Sisters Antiques & Collectibles is an antique shop located on 473 High Street in Medford that specializes in both buying and selling items from personal estates. Co-owners Linda and Theresa Turino, who are sisters, work with customers to buy and sell items for which customers no longer have a need or space. Whether the customer is downsizing to a smaller home or dealing with the loss of a loved one, Two Sisters works to meet their needs. Remaining sensitive to their customer’s feelings, Two Sisters Antiques will arrange a time to meet with the customer in their home and carefully look at and discuss each item. Once the customer has selected the items to be sold, the items can be taken to the antique shop and put on display. Even though Two Sisters buys items outright, it believes the original owners should be comfortable with the process.

“Our main goal is to be respectful and sensitive to the needs and feelings of the customer,” said Theresa. “We understand how difficult and upsetting it can be to leave a home you’ve spent most of your life in so we do our best to help our customers feel comfortable with their decision.”

A significant number of customers that Two Sisters Antiques work with are elders and caregivers. Senior customers often want to downsize from their current households and move to a smaller, more affordable home. Two Sisters talks with the elder and their caregiver or family member before they look through any possessions in the elder’s home. By discussing the process with family members and caregivers, Two Sisters say it makes the process as easy as possible.

“Many elders have a hard time letting go of items that have been in their families for a long time,” said Theresa. Therefore, we try to comfort our customers…let them know that we will hopefully sell these antiques to a family that will love them just as much they once did.”

Two Sisters Antiques originally opened in Medford in 2001. Since that time, the store has doubled in size and is constantly being refined to meet the needs of its customers. The shop’s antiques range from furniture items such as chairs, desks, china cabinets, and bookcases to many different types of jewelry, paintings, pottery, and clothing.

Although elders constitute a majority of its customer base, Two Sisters also work closely with many new couples, out-of-state customers, and interior decorators.

“When customers approach us, they are dealing with family. We’re sisters who work together and are very close so we understand how important family is,” said Theresa. “When we do business with our customers, we become part of their lives and deal first hand with the changes they’re going through. It is our duty to make this process as stress-free as we can and to not overlook the feelings of any family member or loved one.”

For more information, please contact Two Sisters at (781) 395-9669 or visit their web site at www.twosistersantiques.com.