Patch Blog: The Dynamic Duo of Owl Talk

I stopped by at the other day to have a chat with Kathleen and Sharon Kroner, the sister duo who opened this wonderfully eclectic, vintage shop almost 18 years ago with not more than $1,000, a vision and the love for the timeless and the traditional. For those of you not familiar with this gem in Eagle Rock, it is a whimsical place, a sort of a grown-up girls dress-up closet, where vintage hairpieces, intricately beaded bags and lacy garments meet the new, stylish classics. 

Located on Eagle Rock Boulevard, just south of the Colorado intersection, the shop carries new merchandise as well as classic vintage items: dresses and other items of clothing, shoes, bags, jewelry, coats and little knick-knacks from eras long passed. 

Step into Owl Talk and you will be transported into another time and place. Hats are displayed like artwork—because they are—and vintage jewelry under glass cases catch the eye with their colorful sparkles. Hair pieces are lined with lace and feathers. Sequined bags make you wonder how many hands they’ve adorned.

One can’t help but feel like a lady, or perhaps more like a little girl sitting in front of the mirror playing dress up. The décor as well as the mishmash of old pieces of furniture throughout the place add to the mood and overall feel of this vintage clothing store. You may even catch an owl or two eyeing you at times.

Sharon, who has a degree in fashion from Otis Parsons, loves the connections she makes with the clients who come into the shop. It gives her great pleasure to help them find that one unique piece they’ve been looking for, or suggesting a new look for a bit of change and fun. 

She mentioned that although the average age of women who shop at the store may be in the 30s—customers with an eye for the trendy and the eclectic—the age of “girls” who come in ranges from 10 years to 80. These are the folks who appreciate the feminine, detailed and unique items lovingly displayed in this little corner of a shop. 

Kathleen, on the other hand, enjoys shopping and finding these amazing one-of-a-kind pieces for the shop. Although in the beginning the Owl Talk sisters did take in some consignments, they have their own suppliers now and go through them for finding new, interesting and vintage classic items. In all the years they have been in business, the shop has recycled and resold more than a half a million articles of clothing and other items, not to mention many unusual and strange items. Talk about a green establishment! 

From the looks of it, I’d say these two sisters have found the winning recipe for running a successful business together. They both nodded in agreement while talking about how wonderful it is being partners. Supportive of each other, they share that sisterly bond, while contributing their individual talents and strengths to the business. The sisters reaffirm my belief that with hard work, imagination and vision, one can turn a life’s passion into a successful business.  

 Kathleen and Sharon both live in Eagle Rock. Sharon is a member of , and both are involved in the community as well as in issues involving improvements to the city—parking being one. Although they have a public parking lot behind their store as well as metered parking on the street, they both feel that Eagle Rock could use some more parking on and around the boulevard. I agree with them. Having had a small business on Colorado for many years, I can attest to the parking problem we need to resolve.

During my visit, Sharon helped me purchase a beautiful bracelet that caught my eye when I was taking pictures of the store. Few places are more welcoming, and I’m sure I’ll be going back to Owl Talk very soon. 

Ladies, this is the place to go to for beautiful vintage items. If you’re ever in the area, be sure you make a stop at Owl Talk. In fact, if you mention this blog from Eagle Rock Patch, you will receive 10 percent off of your purchase for that day (we thank the lovely ladies at Owl Talk for that). 

Owl Talk is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Store hours on Sundays are from 12 noon to 4 p.m. 

Enjoy the photos. Hope you get to come in and find that unique item you’ve been looking for.

You can find more of my photos and jottings on my Facebook page: My Town Eagle Rock.