Laurie Stiratt – Turning a Love of Music and Junk into One Unique Business

Laurie Stiratt – Turning a Love of Music and Junk into One Unique Business

By Justin Geurin

A new Water Vallian sits down with the people that make this town special. Geurin and his wife, Robin, and twin daughters moved to town last July

For Laurie Stiratt, the co-owner of Rip-It-Up! Vintage junk store in Water Valley, that reality has become a successful business idea. Stiratt’s love of older things was inspired in her many years ago by her grandmother. In fact to this day, she would prefer to spend $250 on an old couch than an $800 new one because, as she says, “It’s built to last!” 

Stiratt and her business partner, Tyler Keith, have known each other for years. They are longtime friends and band-mates, but they also share a love for “junk.” After renting a booth at several antique malls in Oxford, the two decided to open their own store and Water Valley was the perfect fit. 

Rip-It-Up! is a great store to visit. As Laurie says, “We try to have something for everyone.” There is a wide collection of antique furniture and trinkets, as well as a variety of cheap and practical items. With a community full of older homes, many of which are being restored or renovated, Stiratt sells plenty of old fixtures for antique lights or claw foot tubs as well. 

At the same time, there have been some much more unique items to pass through Rip-It-Up! Stiratt described a table made in India with a unique metal binding that was possibly 75-80 years old, as well as some furniture pieces designed (and signed) by Frank Lloyd Wright, as some of the most rare and valuable items she has dealt with in the store. Then of course she has some personal favorites as well, like the Hamm’s Beer Bear who sits atop a decorative privacy screen in the back in the corner of the front room, or an old enameled tub to name a few. 

For Stiratt, the best part of owning a business is the freedom to collaborate and make plans, finding new inventory, and getting the chance to meet people. “It is so much fun to hear stories about town and people’s experiences,” she says. At the same time, it is not without difficulties, specifically keeping up personal standards of how she wants the store to look, despite being a “junk store.” Clutter is a part of the business, and Stiratt does not mind it, as long as customers can get to something they want. The toughest part of owning the store though, “There is only so much you can take home,” she jokes. 

Junk and antiques are not Stiratt’s only passion, as music has played a huge role in her life as well. In fact, music brought her to Mississippi, from her hometown of New Orleans, as she moved to Oxford to join a band more than 25 years ago. She began traveling and touring in 1988 and continued to do so regularly until very recently. 

Among the many highlights on the road, she mentioned opening for Willie Nelson at Red Rock near Boulder, Colo. as one of the more exciting opportunities she experienced. She also got the chance to see Alex Chilton, the lead singer for The Box Tops and Big Star, play at Sid and Harry’s (now City Grocery) in Oxford during the late 80s. “I was so lucky to get to see a local Memphis band with a great sound during that time.” 

Traveling the country as a touring musician was a unique experience for Stiratt. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but it also taught her flexibility and how to deal with people. “Without flexibility, you cannot tour the country in a van for two months,” she stated. 

Now, she hopes to combine her love of music and junk here in Water Valley. She is currently serving on the Board of the Main Street Association and wants to be a part of ongoing projects to improve downtown. 

Stiratt hopes to be involved with more events in the Pocket Park, which is adjacent to her store, such as movie nights and maybe even an ongoing music series. As she says, “Music brings people together,” and she hopes the community will attempt to be creative in terms of providing alternative venues for the growing local music scene. 

On the business side of things, Stiratt wants everyone to know Rip-It-Up! buys, sells, and trades goods and will always give a fair price for any item brought in. For anyone looking to de-clutter their home, she hopes they will stop by the store rather than simply throwing items out, because, “you never know what people are willing to buy.” One of the primary items she is seeking to collect right now is vinyl records as there has been a rapidly growing demand in recent months. Stiratt also hopes to eventually have a workshop to produce custom-made furniture and do architectural salvage work.  

According to Stiratt, Water Valley is the type of town that does not really exist anymore and it is important for the town to continue to grow while protecting the atmosphere that already exists. She says Water Valley is an “easy place,” to own a business because people around town have been very friendly and helpful.

“Everyone here wants to work together and it is exciting that Water Valley is on the map,” she said. On the surface Rip-It-Up! may look like just another junk store, but in reality it is a unique place to find something special and have a great conversation, while also being another great addition to downtown Water Valley.