Driving through Mid City, The Pink Elephant Antiques sticks out. The soft blush-colored exterior is immediately welcoming. Plants grow out of painted tires, and the often-Instagrammed mural that frames the store’s doors depicts a vibrant elephant. Keeping with the theme, a large wooden elephant greets visitors outside the front door of the Government Street building. The cool, funky vibe and wide variety of colorful vintage items is apparent from your first step in the door.
“We’ve always been located here, and we love it,” store owner Lisa Pellissier said. “There’s a lot of artsy people here, people who are interested in antiques.”
University alumna Pellissier, 49, opened The Pink Elephant in April 2016 after purchasing the property with her husband. Before opening her antique store, Pellissier was a dealer at Aladdin’s Lamp Antiques, another store located on Government Street.
“I remember when Mid City had tons of antique shops, and I wanted to bring that back,” Pellissier said. “I wanted it to be a place where other dealers and shoppers like me could find treasures.”
The store carries items from a plethora of eras, like furniture, knick-knacks, jewelry and, of course, an array of elephants from a plethora of eras.
Though the store appears small from the street, the multi-dealer shop is larger than it looks. Perusing the winding showrooms feels like wandering through a maze — when you think you’re at the end of a booth, three more paths pop up around the next corner.
It’s no wonder the shop has so much space — its inventory is massive. The Pink Elephant has 30 dealers who venture across the state, country and every bit of Earth they can get their hands on in search for specific collector items ranging from dressers to vintage clothing, Pellissier said.
“We look for antiques all over,” Lisa Pellissier said. “I drag my family with me to antique shops on vacation or we’ll sometimes take a road trip to find some antiques; it’s fun.”
The mixture of styles is a key to the shop’s success, she said. The wider variety of dealers, the more items will resonate among customers.
“Each dealer has their own style,” Pellissier said. “Midcentury style is my personal favorite, and natural materials like coral, antlers and cowhide sell well.”
Each vendor has their own and is responsible for stocking and pricing inventory, Pellissier said.
Whether it’s a dresser, old books, vintage clothing or jewelry that one is searching for, The Pink Elephant Antiques is likely to have it, and Pellissier advises against following the trends.
“Trends come and go,” Pellissier said. ““I think everyone should buy what strikes them, regardless of what’s trendy.”
The Pink Elephant Antiques is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Gallery • 8 Photos

Dilyn Stewart

Antiques sit on display at The Pink Elephant Antiques on Monday, Nov. 20, 2017.