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Rachel Gurley was born into an antiques-dealing clan. "My family is in the business. My parents, Nan Gurley and Peter Mavris were dealers, and when I was 5 or so, they began promoting antique shows. Dealers from all over became my extended family," says Gurley.
Her mother, Nan Gurley, has been
an antiques maven for decades, and her
brother Josh is an auctioneer, who owns and operates Gurley Auction Company in Kezar Falls, Maine. Now, with the assistance
of the family, Rachel has taken the plunge and
opened the Gurley Antiques Gallery in Yarmouth,
Maine, a new group shop featuring about 36 dealers.
"I went to school as a French major…and graduated
with a degree in art history and a minor in
French and art from UMaine-Orono. I tried to be a pastry chef," Gurley
reported, but the entrepreneurial antiques blood ran
too strong. "My degree has help me in the antique business, but my hands-on experience taught me the most.
My mom taught me a lot. I was watching the shop on our farm by the time I was 10."
With a family name to honor, Gurley promised that she’ll
cling to high standards. "I managed Mom’s shop for
years, and I know all the guys," she declared. "I can
tell them, 'It's fake; get it out of here.’ Keep it real!
If I have to dust, then it's been here too long!"
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A Quality Multi-Dealer Shop