Much-anticipated addition to the Wichita retail scene opens at Lincoln Heights Friday

Allison Baker’s hobby of antiquing, including estate and garage sale shopping, officially turns into a business Friday with her new Vault Collection at Lincoln Heights Village.

That’s across the intersection at Douglas and Oliver from where Baker took over Aspen Boutique earlier this year.

“I love finding cool things,” Baker said. “Wine, jewelry and cars are sort of my trifecta of things I enjoy.”

Though she won’t have wine or cars for sale, Baker will have a collection of home furnishings and furniture in styles as diverse as Victorian, Art Deco, Art Nouveau and mid-century modern.

The other component of the business will be estate jewelry, which will be known as the Vault Collection at Aspen and mainly be sold at Aspen Boutique.

Baker said she has unique pieces with character and history.

“You just kind of wonder who was sporting that piece of jewelry in that era.”

Baker sources items from around the United States and sometimes Europe. She’ll also purchase items locally and will decide on a case-by-case basis whether to buy the items or consider consigning some.

There are a range of prices, but on hard-to-find items, there are more of what Baker calls premium prices.

For instance, she found a Louis Vuitton wine carrier that’s “almost like a little picnic set.”

“That was kind of a fun find because it’s not something that you see every day.”

The price tag — $12,500 — reflects that.

While some pieces are in pristine condition, Baker said there are “some pieces that have clearly been loved and worn,” and prices reflect that, too.

She said she expects her market to be both in Wichita and elsewhere through online sales.

Initially, the Vault will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and by appointment on Tuesday and Wednesday. If she sees a demand for more hours or days, Baker said she’ll adjust the schedule.