When Parisa Hafer opened a new vintage store in Springwood this year, she could have marked the return of her old store from a decade earlier - Frou Frou Old and New.
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Instead, she's dubbed it 'The Pony and The Gypsy' - a name with an origin to reflect the personal touch she's brought to her new shop.
"My dog's name is 'Poni', and one of my nicknames is 'The Gypsy'," she told the Gazette.
"Now I kind of keep it to what I really like the most, so it's got a definite 'Parisa vibe'."
Ms Hafer's previous store, affectionately remembered as 'Frou Frou', was a community staple for lovers of vintage, with enough people at its original opening that police showed up to check what was going on.
When Ms Hafer closed Frou Frou about 10 years ago for family reasons she moved into interior decorating, but was constantly asked on Springwood's streets when she would open her next store.
"I wanted to, but the timing needed to be right, and the timing is right again for us," she said.
Ms Hafer said opening The Pony and The Gypsy - on March 22 - has given her freedom to pursue her own taste in treasures, as opposed to Frou Frou - which needed a larger scope to financially support children at home.
"That's why I actually didn't pick the [same] name, because I didn't want the expectation to be that it would be the same as Frou Frou," she said.
"I'm buying things now because I particularly connect with those things, rather than they're going to turn a buck."
Located opposite Springwood Train Station, The Pony and The Gypsy is packed with an idyllic trove of vases, mugs, plates, carvings, trinkets, and more.
The showcase reflects Ms Hafer's personal loves, including pottery, hand-blown glass, and things ornate or Bohemian - all marking her lifelong passion.
"Even when I was a child, my parents were florists and our business was opposite Paddington Markets. So even as a kid I'd take my pocket money and go scouring around the markets, buying little trinkets and treasures," she said.
"It's just everything about it. It's honouring the past, it's taking care of the future - but I just love every aspect of my job. I love finding the treasures, I love cleaning them up, I love styling them, I love people."
She also said she made sure her new shop was in Springwood, as a core part of her love for vintage is the community.
"For me, the stores have always been kind of magical because it brings people together who love vintage stuff, and when you love vintage stuff stories come with that," she said.
"I love that feeling of having a place where people can connect and share their love of vintage stuff."
Ms Hafer said she welcomes people stopping by to browse and chat, with no pressure to purchase something. The Pony and The Gypsy can be found at 244 Macquarie Road, Springwood.
