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Fireside Antiques is celebrating 40 years of experience in the antique trade with the collective knowledge of three generations of ownership. Mother/daughter duo Cheri McDaniel and Susan Roland started the business and for the past 12 years, Laura Roland, Susan’s daughter, has managed the shop.
When McDaniel and Roland first opened the shop in 1982, Polaroid photography was a groundbreaking way to help customers who primarily lived in Louisiana and Texas. In the four decades since, technology has allowed Fireside Antiques’ initial 1,500-square-foot showroom to evolve into 18,000 square feet and has broadened their market to a worldwide customer base. Through it all, the team has continued to incorporate antiques into the modern world.
AT A GLANCE
Top executives: Laura Roland and Susan Roland, Owners
Phone: [225] 752-9565
Website: firesideantiques.com
“We ship 70% of our business out of state,” said Laura Roland. “Our website and other market platforms feature categorized, detailed images of our current inventory and are updated daily as our antiques make their way through our workshop.”
When selecting items for Fireside Antiques, the Rolands look for antiques that push the boundaries beyond traditional style. “We love to see original paint finishes, mirror glass that sparkles, honest woodworking repairs, and love to celebrate wood tones with depth that can only be acquired over time,” Laura explains.
The Rolands also enjoy seeking out and restoring well-loved pieces of furniture back to their original beauty. Cleaning each piece, tightening loose joints, polishing wood with French paste wax on the exterior, orange oiling the interiors, reworking locks, making sure all drawers are working smoothly, servicing clocks, and rewiring and cleaning lighting are just a few steps of the antique restoration process.
“After hand-selecting each piece from our buying trips to Europe, a lot of work goes into preparing each antique to be ready for immediate use,” said Laura. “No two antiques are alike, and their processes differ, too. Every piece goes through our workshop and receives its own custom restoration.”
The Rolands have seen styles and trends shift within the market every 10 years or so. In the last decade in particular, customers have been more willing to reach beyond comfort zones. “Tastes have changed from preferring ‘matching suites’ to collecting pieces from a variety of styles, periods and regions,” says Susan. “The exciting thing about our business is that we are always changing to meet the needs of our clients.”
The team at Fireside Antiques maintains their love for restoring antiques with the combined respect for preserving centuries-old craftsmanship as well as the fun of helping both their loyal, generations-long customers and new clients alike.
“To be able to save pieces of history for the next generation is priceless,” said Susan. “So many stone types, wood species, and furniture techniques are not available in today’s world. To be able to see into a world that existed only in the past is magical.”
