Editor’s note: Made in Tarrant is an occasional Q&A series on small businesses started in Tarrant County. Submit your business here.
Karl Waigand is the founder and owner of Atomic Then & Now at 5410 River Oaks Blvd. in River Oaks. Founded in June 2022, the store sells only midcentury modern furniture, artwork and decorations.
Contact information:
Phone: 817-238-3009
Email: atomicthenandnow@gmail.com
Instagram: atomicthenandnow
The Fort Worth Report spoke with Karl Waigand and Liz Johnston, in-house artist for Atomic Then & Now, about the store’s history, what inspired Waigand to focus on midcentury furniture and plans for the future. This interview has been edited for clarity, grammar and length.
David Moreno: What inspired you to open Atomic Then & Now?
Karl Waigand: My ability to stage and make things look really good. When I was a kid, my mom used to change the house around all the time. I’ve always had a wild imagination as far as decorating. So, I thought that I would implement that and put it into my business, which has flourished and succeeded, truly. I do all the staging and merchandising for all these different, little vignettes of rooms. I’m a one-man show, I do it all.
Moreno: Why are you drawn to midcentury furniture specifically?
Waigand: Why midcentury? Because it’s good quality and that’s truly hard to find today. Most of the midcentury pieces have a meaning and they’re made by very talented designers. Today, they’re just mass producing. Most midcentury furniture, the design and the quality truly sells itself. What I find really intriguing is that millennials are really truly appreciating the concept.
Moreno: What did you do before you opened the store?
Waigand: I’ve worked in hospitality, customer service and management. I was a hairstylist for 15 years, so I’ve always been creative.
Moreno: You mentioned the business being successful. How have you been able to get customers? Is it through social media? Word of mouth?
Waigand: I have not paid a dime of advertising, truly. It started with Instagram, and then Facebook, to personal referrals. Now it’s all referrals and that’s the way to grow. You could spend all the money in the world on advertisements, but if someone’s had a good experience it means more than any of them.
What people mostly love about this store is when they come here, it’s never the same. Once a piece sells, another piece goes there. Sometimes when a new piece goes in, you have to change the whole room!
Moreno: The furniture is a key part to Atomic Then & Now, but so is the artwork. Liz, I know you paint a lot of the art that is sold here. How did you meet Karl?
Liz Johnston: I was doing an art show in Fort Worth and this lady came up to me and told me about this new midcentury store that my art style would go perfect with. I met Karl and since then, I don’t even know how many paintings I’ve sold through him. There was a slow time in the beginning, I have no patience. But, Karl told me to trust him and give him a chance and it worked out. I was raised in the ’60s, so I feel like I am a part of this and I love the furniture.
Moreno: How do you find furniture pieces for Atomic Then & Now? What is your process to curate your store?
Waigand: I’m very picky when it comes to the pieces that I sell and I have to be, because I don’t want to sell trash. I source locally and all over. The farthest I’ve gone for a piece is Virginia and Tennessee.
Moreno: Have you considered expanding Atomic Then & Now to other locations?
Waigand: It’s been a thought, but right now I’m a one-man pony. I need to stay right where I’m at and grow from here. Why take on more than I can handle? Once I’m able to handle more, then I’ll feel comfortable with expanding.
Right now my goal is to highlight other local artists and vendors, like Liz, inside the store. We have a local jewelry maker named Shelli Aulisio and she is fabulous. Businesses that can help others be creative and help them grow is important. That to me is really rewarding.
David Moreno is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from Texas Health Resources. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.
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