Page 8 March 25, 2021 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Studio Antiques from front page
began to purchase items, putting them on
layaway to reserve them for himself.
“One day [the shop owner] said to me,
‘You’ve got like twenty things on layaway,
when are you going to pay for them?’” says
Martin. After a couple of beers and some
lighthearted discussion, the shop owner asked
him if he’d just buy the shop. So Laurence
did. This purchase became Studio Antiques,
named for its predecessor.
While he handles most of the buying and
packaging, Sally, his wife, handles more of
the business side of things, a complement to
each other. While working a 9 to 5 corporate
job, she began helping out with the business
on the weekends, which eventually turned into
her full-time gig. With her master’s degree
and organization skills, she most often runs
the shop daily, makes friends with customers,
and keeps the books in check.
“I needed a secretary, and Sally fit the
bill,” jokes Laurence, immediately rebuked
by Sally.
“He only says that at the right moment
because he knows it makes me angry,” she
laughs.
Both of them are avid historians. Their
extensive experience, along with the help of
friends, who are experts in the field, allows
them to provide appraisals as part of their
services and helps them get valuable items
for their shop, which also operates online.
A myriad of odd, eclectic, and valuable
items have passed through their collection,
from a rare pressing of a Beatles album released
on their first trip to America for the
Ed Sullivan show, to a memo sent out by
John Adams suggesting that Washington’s
birthday should be made a national holiday
(of which there are only five known copies
in the world).
These days, while antiques are still the
name of their game, they’ve had a mass
customer interest in vinyls.
“I’ll tell you, this is my personal opinion,”
says Sally to explain the recent resurgence
of vinyl enthusiasts, “In the late 1800s,
there was a movement called the Arts and
Crafts movement, and it was a reaction to
the industrial revolution.” She goes on to
explain that this movement was an artisan
rebuttal to factory lines and automated jobs.
People began hand-making and designing
interiors and items amid the availability of
mass-produced consumer products.
“Well, I think in this century, everything is
digital, and you don’t have to have anything
physical,” she says, saying that she believes
Laurence and Sally Martin have been in the business of antiques
for 33 years. Photo Credit: Chris Miller Photography.
there is a surge in vinyl sales “because now
you can hold something. You can read the
liner notes. You can play it from beginning
to end.” In addition, listening to an entire
album is often an event to be done together
with others, something we’ve had very little
of in the last year.
After thirty-three years in business, they
say their inventory has come from all
over. Laurence used to travel to places like
France, Australia, and China and buy items
to be shipped back to the shop for stock.
They scour estate sales, get calls about lots,
and look in unclaimed baggage. Also, since
landing their reality shows, they have customers
come in from all over and donate items,
get appraisals, or list their items on eBay
through them. By being close to the airport,
their customer base is a global community.
Something the couple is very attuned to is
family sensitivity. Often, items are donated
to them after the loss of a family member
or an elderly family has moved into assisted
living and needs to downsize.
Studio Antiques can be found at 337 Richmond Street, near Main Street.
“We deal with a lot of people who are
experiencing loss, especially right now, and
it’s something that we try to be sensitive
about, too,” says Laurence. They appreciate
all their items greatly, and even if they don’t
want an item for their stock, they help give
advice on finding it the right home.
“You might think this is strange, but I’m a
little bit psychic,” he says, “and some of the
customers who pass on… I think they’re up
there, and they direct their family to bring
this stuff to us because they know that we’re
gonna be really fair.”
Currently, they run their show called
“Around the Bend” on YouTube, interviewing
interesting subjects and talking about
antiques. In the back of their shop, they
have what they affectionately call the Ghost
Town. It’s a series of sheds constructed from
reclaimed wood that used to comprise an
1860s cabin in Big Bear. As things open
back up, they are looking to the future and
hoping to hold small concert events with
their vinyls in the Ghost Town to bring the
community together and talk about old things
with new friends. •
The Martins say they have over 20,000 vinyls for sale in their shop.
Sports from page 3
that gave the Eagles the 8-7 win. The victory
against Wilson was marred by mistakes
by both teams. You could chalk it up to an
early-season lapse of practice time due to
current conditions.
The Eagles took an early 3-0 lead in the
first inning. They combined two hits and took
advantage of two errors to score their runs
that were highlighted by a two-run double
by Kenny Chung. The Bruins responded
with a four-run second inning. They took
advantage of two walks that both ended
up scoring to take a 4-3 lead. The Bruins
stretched their lead with a three-run fourth
inning for a 7-3 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Brendan
McAndrews drew a walk and scored on a
fielder’s choice to make it 6-4. In the fifth
inning, Cooper Stolnack singled and came
around to score on a wild pitch to cut the
deficit to 6-5. In the seventh inning, the
Eagles, who had missed out on opportunities
to score, leaned on Stolnack, who hit a 1-0
fastball 385 feet to tie the game and send
the game into extra innings.
The Eagles sent five pitchers to the mound.
Kenny Chung came in relief and faced ten
batters striking out seven. Chung was lifted
after the seventh inning, and Luke Elward
threw a scoreless eighth inning. In the ninth
inning, Max Dering took over and had to
overcome a bases loaded jam to induce an
inning-ending ground ball. The Eagles went
quietly in their half of the ninth, setting up
a wild tenth inning.
Bruins leadoff batter Brett Abudayyeh
singled and scored on an infield ground
ball to give his team a 7-6 lead. It would
be the only run they would score, but it
could’ve been a bigger inning. A baserunning
snafu by DJ Erkman getting caught
in a rundown third base and home plate
prevented another scoring opportunity. With
two outs and runners on second and third
base, Dering struck out Davis Ramage to
stop the damage.
With one out in the bottom half of the tenth
inning, Eddie Grant had a pinch-hit single.
Marquise Wright reentered the game to run
for Grant, and McAndrews drew a walk.
Wright scored on Evan Smith’s single to tie
the game. With one out and McAndrews on
third and Smith on first base, Julian Rodriquez
hit a routine ground ball to Abudayyyeh, who
fed Erkman at second base. Erkman’s throw
to first was in the dirt and couldn’t be fielded
by first baseman AJ Castano. The Eagles
celebrated the win when McAndrews scored
the decisive run.
The Eagles continued tournament play this
week with three games, including an away
game at Bishop Montgomery on Tuesday and
teams TBA today and Saturday. They host
Peninsula next Tuesday at 6 p.m. •
Cooper Stolnack watches as his 385-foot home run tied the game in the seventh inning (photo by Julie Stolnack) El Segundo pitcher Luke Elward tags out Wilson’s DJ Erkman during a rundown in the tenth inning