Peabody Native Stocks Vintage Toys, Memories at Little Shop of Treasures

They call it the Little Shop of Treasures, and it is indeed filled to the brim with treasured items from yesteryear. Peabody native Angela Petrelis, co-owner of the unique little shop at the in Danvers, says the name is based on her favorite ride at Disney -- Pirates of the Caribbean.

“Ever since I was a little kid, that was always my favorite ride. I’m a huge Disney-nut,” she said.

When faced with the challenge of coming up with a name for her new store, she thought of all the treasures it would hold. “Since my father has been in the antique and memorabilia business for over 30 years, we have sheds and sheds of product, and it’s all in immaculate condition. So each bin I open is a surprise to me -- like a buried treasure,” Petrelis explained.

The items lining the walls and shelves are hard-to-find collectibles and memorabilia, and many are considered antiques.

“We pretty much go half the price of eBay or antique shops,” said Petrelis. From vintage toys dating back to the early 1980s and 1990s, diecast cars and toy train sets, to items tending toward the supernatural: E.T. board games, Star Wars action figures and a Star Trek dinner plate collection; toys of childhood The Care Bears, Smurfs, Strawberry Shortcake; and even memorabilia from the old Hollywood era of Shirley Temple, Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley.

“We have a nice display window -- people stop and observe the window because it's not your normal display,” Petrelis said. “It’s funny to see people stop and stare-they come rushing in and want the Elvis in the window.”

Most of the items in the store hail from Petrelis' father, Robert’s collection. As a buyer and seller of antique and vintage items, Robert attended trade shows and purchased huge collections over the years for re-sale. Customers have been thrilled to share their childhood memories with their own children when they spy a favorite toy they used to play with on the shelves, and are proving their enthusiasm by returning week after week to see what new treasures have been unearthed

“We had a Shirley Temple lunch box a few weeks ago, that sold really quickly,” said Petrelis. “My father is pulling stuff out all the time, he doesn’t even know what he has. The Elvis fans tell me that you can’t find this stuff outside of Graceland.”

A true family business, Petrelis is quick to credit the support she has and continues to receive from her family and boyfriend, Dave Luongo. “I could not have done any of this without them,” she said. “I mean, my name is attached to it, but we all contribute: Dave, my mother and father Robert and Rita, and Robbie Petrelis, my brother. This is family owned and run.”

Raised in Peabody, Petrelis attended Essex Agricultural School in Danvers, and then North Shore Community College to study business. After college, Petrelis became engaged to her then-boyfriend and high school sweetheart. She was looking forward to starting their life together when he inexplicably ended the engagement, throwing Petrelis’ plans into a tailspin, she said.

Looking for an escape to mend her broken heart, she applied for an internship at Disney World. She had hoped to combine her strong business sense with her passion for all things Disney when she applied, and was thrilled to be accepted. However, before heading to Florida, Petrelis met Dave Luongo, and everything changed.  

“Everything happens for a reason. When I met Dave two years ago, I decided to stay. He is so supportive of my dreams of owning my own shop. I never could have done this without him, and my family,” she said.

The shop is located in the Best Buy wing of the Liberty Tree Mall, next to Kay Jewelers, and Petrelis couldn’t be happier with the location. Initially intended to be a seasonal business only through the holiday shopping season, the mall offered to rent the space to Petrelis for the 2012 year, a decision based on the success of the shop.

“I love hearing the stories about the items I have in my store, it brings back memories to customers,” Petrelis explained. “There is nothing like this around here, and I think that’s why people love coming in. This has been a dream of mine, so I’m so thrilled.”

For more information, or to contact the owners, check out Little Shop of Treasures website or you can find it on Facebook.