Same As It Never Was

06/11/2026

Small Business Owner Rant of the Day: 🤦‍♀️

Can someone explain to me why a state that wants to tax absolutely everything makes it nearly impossible to actually PAY them?

Every single quarter I have to log into my business tax account. And without fail, every single quarter, I end up creating a new account, resetting passwords, answering security questions I don’t remember creating, and fighting with a website that seems determined not to let me in.

Then, when I finally get to the payment screen… it just sits there loading. And loading. And loading. Until it logs me out and I get to start the entire process all over again.

At this point I have to wonder… is it because if you’re late they get to charge fees? 🤔

People see the fun side of owning a small business. What they don’t see is the endless paperwork, government websites that barely function, and the hours wasted trying to do something as simple as pay a tax bill.

The best part? Once I finally manage to get into the system and it actually decides to cooperate, this will be the final sales tax filing for the storefront. I’ll finally get to hit that magical button that closes everything out with the state and be done with this nonsense for good.

Of course, at the rate this website is going, that might happen sometime next year after it logs me out another 47 times and charges me a million dollars in late fees because their system can’t figure out how to accept money. 😂

Honestly, I cannot wait to legally close this chapter out and move fully online, where the platforms collect and remit the sales tax directly. Less government website drama, less wasted time, and more time actually running a business.

And before anyone asks—yes, we’ll still be here. We aren’t disappearing. We will continue selling online, and our followers will always get at least 20% off any eBay item. Realistically, it’ll probably be more than that because I tend to list high to leave room for offers and negotiations (it works, so don’t judge my methods 😂).

I swear, New York makes it harder to pay them than it does to make the money in the first place.

Same As It Never Was is a mother-and-daughter owned small business based in Dunkirk, New York, built around a shared love of vintage, antiques, and timeless finds. We specialize in carefully curated vintage home décor, antiques, art glass, ceramics, figurines, nostalgic collectibles, and unique sta...

06/09/2026

It’s honestly amazing how many people seem to think they know how to run a business they’ve never owned, organize events they’ve never hosted, or manage scholarships they’ve never funded.

Since day one, we’ve had people telling us how to run OUR business. We’ve had people send their friends in to criticize everything we do. We’ve had people complain that we use AI for flyers—as if every small business, corporation, and marketing company on the planet isn’t using the exact same tools. News flash: we don’t have a million-dollar advertising budget.

Most recently, someone decided to explain to me how a scholarship should be run, despite the fact that we’ve been successfully doing it for four years. Then he informed me that my posts are “drama” and that’s why the business “failed.”

Failed? That’s cute.

We’re closing the storefront because online sales generate significantly more income than a brick-and-mortar location. That’s not failure—that’s adapting to where the market is. The world has changed, whether people like it or not.

And as for my posts? I can’t even count how many customers have walked through our doors and told me they follow the page specifically because they enjoy them. I am exactly who I am online as I am in person. No fake corporate script. No pretending.

What I don’t understand is when people wake up in the morning and decide, “You know what? I’m going to go tell complete strangers how to run their business, scholarship, event, or life.”

If you’ve never done what we do, maybe consider that there might be things you don’t know.

To everyone who has supported us, shopped with us, laughed with us, and cheered us on: thank you. The supporters have always outnumbered the critics by a mile.

The rest can keep offering free advice nobody asked for.

06/07/2026

Due to the weather forecast, we have made the difficult decision to cancel next weekend’s Going Out of Business Sale.

Instead, we are moving the BIG sale to June 20th and 21st, and we have decided to do something very special with it.

Every single penny raised from that sale will go toward a scholarship that my daughter and I created four years ago in memory of my father. When I get home and can dig out all of the information, I’ll share more about the scholarship and its history. We originally started it through Lakeshore Central Schools, but now that our business is in Dunkirk, we would like to bring it here and grow it.

And when I say every penny, I mean every penny. We are not keeping any of the proceeds from this final sale.

This scholarship will be awarded to a graduating senior in the Class of 2027 who plans to enter the workforce, pursue a career in auto mechanics, or join the Air Force. There will be NO GPA requirement.

That part is important.

My father was one of the hardest-working people I have ever known. He believed in showing up, working hard, taking care of your family, and doing the right thing. Not everyone follows the same path after high school, and not everyone earns straight A’s. Some students excel in the classroom. Others work twice as hard just to get by. Both deserve to be recognized.

Whether you’re a straight-A student or barely scraping through graduation, your grades will not determine your worth or your eligibility. Character, determination, and a strong work ethic matter just as much.

We hope you’ll join us June 20th and 21st for one final huge sale. Not only will you be helping us clear out the store, but you’ll also be helping us invest in a young person’s future while honoring the memory of a man who spent his life putting family and hard work first.

More details to come.

06/07/2026

We are still trying to get the remaining vendor refunds distributed, but there are several people we have not heard back from despite calls, texts, messages, and comments.

If you have not yet received your refund, please contact the page and let us know how you would like to receive it:

✅ Venmo (send us your Venmo information)
✅ By mail (send us your mailing address)
✅ In person at the store

Please note that I forgot to bring the refund money with me today and currently do not have a vehicle to go pick it up. If you would like to pick up your refund at the store, it will need to be tomorrow or later. Just let us know when you’d like to stop in so I can make sure it’s here for you.

Thank you!

06/07/2026

🚨 OPEN TODAY 9 AM - 2 PM! 🚨

For those of you who judge whether we’re open based on whether my vehicle is in the parking lot… my car will NOT be here today, but WE ARE OPEN! 😂

Also, can we talk about my morning? On the way to get coffee, I unfortunately ran over a chipmunk. 😭 I’ve decided his name was Simon because apparently we were close enough for me to be emotionally devastated by it. I tried to avoid him and somehow still managed to hit him, and I am absolutely heartbroken.

Then on the way to the store I nearly took out a squirrel AND a bird. Thankfully they survived my driving adventure.

I’m the kind of person who would probably total a vehicle trying not to hit an animal. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Anyway, if you’d like to help distract me from my wildlife-related trauma, stop in and shop!

💵 CASH PURCHASES: 50% OFF

💳 CREDIT CARD PURCHASES:
✔️ 40% OFF purchases under $100
✔️ 50% OFF purchases over $100

Open 9 AM - 2 PM today only!
3817 Lakeshore Dr. E., Dunkirk

06/07/2026

🌞 A quick update for tomorrow! 🌞

For once, I’m actually taking a night off and going out to enjoy myself! 😆

Because of that, the store will be open tomorrow from 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM.

As always, we’re still in Going Out of Business mode, so there are plenty of deals to be found while inventory lasts.

📍 Same As It Never Was
3817 Lakeshore Dr. E., Dunkirk

See you tomorrow! 🛍️✨

06/05/2026

🚨 GOING OUT OF BUSINESS BLOWOUT WEEKEND! 🚨

We will be open Sunday with the same sales and discounts currently running, but it’s time to make a big announcement.

We originally said June 20th would be our final day. We’ve decided to move that date up.

Our final weekend will now be June 13th & 14th.

Quite honestly, summer is here, the store is closing anyway, and I’m tired of spending beautiful weekends sitting in a building when I could be out enjoying life. 😎☀️

So we’re going out with one last big push:

🔥 50% OFF EVERYTHING
🔥 Going Out of Business Sidewalk Sale
🔥 Merchandise INSIDE and OUTSIDE
🔥 Items that have NEVER been available in the store before
🔥 Clearance, overstock, backroom finds, fixtures, display pieces, and who knows what else

If you’ve ever been to a good old-fashioned clean-it-out sale, that’s the vibe. We’re digging through storage, back rooms, shelves, corners, and piles. There will be plenty of items making their first and only appearance before we close the doors for good.

Furniture, antiques, vintage treasures, collectibles, home décor, artwork, household items, glassware, fixtures, and a whole lot of miscellaneous treasures will all be priced to move.

The goal is simple: move as much as possible so we don’t have to.

📅 June 13 & 14
📍 Same As It Never Was
3817 Lakeshore Dr. E.
Dunkirk, NY

If you’ve been saying, “I need to stop in sometime,” your sometime has arrived. After next weekend, we’re done.

Come help us empty the building and start enjoying summer. 😆

06/05/2026

📣 Open Today: 11 AM – 2 PM! 📣

Yes, the hours are a little shorter today, but we’re still here and the deals are still going strong!

💵 50% OFF all cash purchases
💳 40% OFF credit card purchases

There are still plenty of treasures waiting to be discovered, so stop in and help us continue clearing things out!

Don’t worry if you can’t make it today — we’ll be back open Sunday from 9 AM – 2 PM.

📍 Same As It Never Was
3817 Lakeshore Dr. E., Dunkirk

06/04/2026

Store Update for Tomorrow

After four days of being sick and dealing with some pretty significant pain, I need to take it a little easier tomorrow. Because of that, our hours will be 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM only.

The good news? The sale is still on!

✅ 50% OFF all eligible items with cash purchases
✅ 40% OFF purchases under $100 paid by credit card
✅ eBay items excluded from the 50% off sale, but still available at 20% off the current online price

There is still plenty of inventory left, and we’d love to see you stop in and help us continue clearing things out before our final closing.

Thanks for your patience and understanding while I try to get back on my feet. ❤️