Photo courtesy Ormson Supply/Facebook
Ormson Supply
Bay View business owner Caleb Nickel has long had an eye for mid-century furniture and other retro items. “I’ve been rummaging with my mom since I was little—it’s ingrained in my DNA,” Nickel said.
Nickel, who previously worked as a truck driver and owned a window-cleaning business, started his vintage furniture business, Brew City Salvage, out of his home about a decade ago. “We’ve steadily grown,” he said. Nickel’s cousin Ross Severson, a mixed-media artist and owner of vintage housewares collection 414 Modern, joined him as business partner seven years ago.
After expanding to storefronts in Waukesha and Walker’s Point, Brew City relocated to 2866 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., a 1600-square-foot store in Bay View, in September 2020. “I love Bay View—the vibe and the neighborhood. We finally found the perfect spot, and it’s worked out great so far,” he said.
Nickel and Severson decided to rebrand their company as Ormson Supply, an homage to their family name and Norwegian heritage. “We sell a lot of Scandinavian furniture,” said Nickel. Ormson’s striking black and white logo even bears their family crest. The shop carries mid-century modern furniture, records, clothing, housewares and “a little bit of everything; just whatever we think is cool. We’re always on the hunt, every day. It never ends,” he said. Although Nickel said he can’t pick a favorite piece of furniture because Ormson’s stock “changes so drastically,” he’s drawn to furniture that was made by hand.
“Handmade furniture is always more interesting to me than something that was mass-produced,” Nickel said. “I always try to figure out what was in that person’s mind and why they did things a certain way.”
Each month, Ormson’s holds a weekend “Small Sale,” in which they sell small items at a discount. Despite opening a new location during the COVID-19 pandemic, business is booming for Ormson. “It’s been great—honestly, we’re doing better than ever,” Nickel said.
To browse Ormson’s online collection, visit facebook.com/ormson.supply.
