Thrill of the Hunt: Canned Ham's vintage finds

To say Ashley Rogers and Jess Sturtevant are dedicated to their craft would be an understatement. The two antique hunters are downright addicted to finding their next treasure.

Just the thought of being beaten to the next hidden gem is enough to get them out of bed at 3 a.m. to ensure they’re first in line at local auctions and estate sales. On occasion, Sturtevant has even been known to camp out in his car — just to be sure.

“We’re obsessed,” he says. “I remember a police officer approaching me once because I’d been camped out in my car for two days. I was still only the second person there. Basically, if I’m not in the shop, or sleeping, I’m out buying. I love the thrill of the hunt.”

It was only fitting, then, that the two team up to open Canned Ham Vintage in the Rosemary District. The store, which opened in November, is an extension of Rogers’ mobile store and features Sturtevant as a business partner, selling furniture from his own shop, Loyal Modern.

Rogers opened Canned Ham Vintage last year as a hobby, selling vintage clothing at pop-up events on the weekends out of her shop’s namesake vintage Shasta tin trailer. When she met Sturtevant, a third-generation antique dealer, last year at an estate sale, the two became fast friends.

At 27 and 30, Rogers and Sturtevant are by far the youngest in a tight-knit community of antique shoppers, and the Sarasota natives would regularly attend the same sales, then meet up for breakfast afterward to compare their finds and talk vintage. When Rogers found an available retail space at 1435 Seventh St., the two decided go in on it together.

“It started as a hobby, but it really snowballed,” says Rogers. “I’ve always loved vintage clothes, especially hats and dresses. It’s like wearing a little piece of history.”

Together, the two make a good team. Rogers focuses on clothing and accessories, and Sturtevant loves lamps and other furniture. The shop is a staged embodiment of their tastes: It’s a 1,500-square-foot historic building decked out in mid-century modern furniture, clothing, décor and accessories. Rogers says it has been a hit with local shoppers looking for something out of the ordinary.

“People want something different,” she says. “And the quality of the fabrics and the manufacturing was much higher than it is now. People can find something timeless that’s going to last.”

Rogers says customers have been excited to see the new retail space and her and Sturtevant’s products under one roof. She’s even garnered a growing group of regulars who stop in several times a week to see what’s new. The most difficult part — parting with her finds.

“I’d love to keep everything,” she says. “But when you see someone get excited about something they find, and you can tell they’re going to love it as much as you — that makes it all worth it.”