Fun & Funky Nostalgia & Fashion at Quincy Avenue Art & Things in Seaside

Nestled in the heart of Seaside, there lives a small robot that surely comes to life when the lights go out.

At Quincy Avenue Art & Things, nostalgic toys take up several shelves and both kids and adults can’t keep their hands off them!  They walk, they light up, they play drums, a tiny woodpecker goes to work while a pigeon struts about….they just are TOO MUCH FUN….and just a small part of all things cool & funky at Quincy Avenue Art & Things!

Store owner Bert Summerville-Kain gets nostalgic when describing her shop. “We have people come in here who say they’ve been coming in since they were kids and they are now bringing THEIR  kids in. We have a FUN art store, not a FINE art store. The art is funky and  fun. Our art supplies are very basic (acrylics, canvasses, oils, watercolors, watercolor paper, pens and pencils for example). A lot of visitors like to use our art supplies while they are here on vacation. The nostalgic toys include our tin toy robots, yo-yo’s, cap guns, puzzles….toys that are NOT internet related.”

Bert describes her clothing as funky and unique, “Clothing for the young at heart and very affordable.” Crazy hip leggings, painted t-shirts and fashionable wearable art  by numerous artists including the local Blue Sea Collection (fabric taken to the next level by local artists Didon Comer and Kris Chavez).

Quincy’s gift items are also unique and quite varied.

“I consider our gifts to be unique, one-of-a-kind items,” she emphasizes.

Painted throw pillows and sheets, sunglasses, jewelry, fashionable hats and berets, “printed- on” socks, oven mitts and hand towels emblazoned with catchy sayings  such as “I’m a Nerd, and Not the Cool Kind,” or “Mmmm+eat=Meat, Coincidence?” or “One Tough Mother.” Racier mottos are also available.

“I like to focus on our local artists….photographers, men and women who design clothing and t-shirts, artists who paint on canvas. Our customers are looking for something different, things that they can’t find in a big box store. We bring all the funky things together in one shop.”

“I’m wearing what I sell today,” she beams as she flits about in her funky outfit.

Bert is also featuring a few artists from the states of Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Tennessee.

She can’t say enough about her staff. “Both Jerad Reynolds and Milyndia Bunn are like family and they are a big reason why people keep coming back to us. I’m a full-time realtor and if it weren’t for Jerad and Milyndia, I wouldn’t have a store. We have been successful because of their “TLC” (they really care about the people walking through our doors), the uniqueness of our merchandise, and our price point.”

Jerad acts as robot battle instigator (and local guitar hero).

Bert elaborates: “Quincy’s is always evolving, but in such a way that I want to keep the same ‘feel’, I don’t want it to ever get stagnant and I am always open to seeing new, fun art from  locals.”

One of the ways Bert likes to reward her artists is to pick one artist each year (around Christmas) whose work she purchases in multiples and sends to every customer who has purchased art from her that calendar year.

“This is a nice Christmas gift benefiting both the artist and our art-purchasing customers.”

Located behind the Great Southern Café within the detached 3-storied properties known  as “Early Morning Hours”, Quincy’s can be found just before the entrance to Ruskin Place where a variety of art galleries are located. Store hours are currently 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily with extended hours of 10 a.m.-8 p.m. during the Summer. Phone: 850-468-0003. Check out their cool presence on Facebook.

Also, at Seaside, various retail shops, restaurants and Airstream Row food trucks exist and flourish between the Gulf of Mexico and Quincy Avenue Art and Things. Both sides of Scenic 30A are represented. Seaside’s draw remains strong with visitors and locals keeping this SoWal attraction on full tilt, year-round.