Mariposa — Local services in Hot Springs

Hot Springs is a hop, skip, step from Little Rock, where I'm from. Turns out Mariposa owner Claire is also a LR native, but definitely a Hot Springs local. And she has added a lot to the vintage market in Central Arkansas with her Mariposa shop. She sources most of her pieces from the Central Arkansas region, I learned while she showed us around her shop space.

What a unique variety of merchandise she has put together, with everything from Edwardian antiques to 60s and 70s-style, Space Age & mid-century modern vintage. Her passion for her trade is clear in her down-to-earth, personable customer service, and also Claire is a multi-talented craftsperson who restores and upgrades a lot of her collection while maintaining original features.

Walking around the shop is sure to remind anyone with a nostalgic streak of past times, and there are than a few items your grandparents or great-grandparents might recognize. Mariposa is also just charming, colorful, eclectic and Claire's curated collection + the displays from different Mariposa vendors provide a lot of rich detail and a sense of discovery within the shop's cheerful ambiance. Would return any time for another taste of Mariposa's charm.

The orange van parked outside the shop,...

We found some antique chairs for our breakfast room's table whose only drawback was having 5 layers of paint over their beautiful oak wood. Claire did an amazing job of refinishing them for us.

To use an analogy, what we gave her was a huge block of stone, and what she gave us back was a Michelangelo-grade statue.

Much of the antique furniture in her store has been similarly given new life.

Do yourself a favor. Go to Mariposa for your refinishing and...

Stopped by while driving by and pleasantly surprised. Picked up a very unique vintage advertisement at a really, really good price and some nice used clothing , wanted to stay longer but had to go. They have a beautiful restored drafting desk that I have been looking years for, but alas, I fly out of Arkansas in two days.

Really good prices, good selections, really good unique pieces.

Definitely recommended. Will be...