Service so often is just a word. It can mean we will do just what we said and just what you paid for. Here at Hill Top Sales, service means giving a little bit more. Something extra you don’t expect. Something we don’t have to do. In my introduction I told the brief story about growing my paper route when I was a young boy. Extra service beyond what was expected to my elderly customers who had difficulty moving, earned me their referrals and gave me the opportunity to serve others. Taking a little extra time at no charge to deliver papers to their chair or table as they needed really made a big difference. They told neighbors and friends about me, which lead me to new subscribers, new friends and relationships that have lasted a lifetime. That is what we want to do here at Hill Top Sales, give extra service, make new friends, cultivate new relationships and refer and earn referrals. Tell us your story. Let’s sit and have a cup of coffee on the porch at Hill Top Sales. The view is beautiful!
Speaking of stories, I must tell you about the designer and creator of this website. Ms. Diane Horstman of Busy Bee Inspirations is a lady who knows service. A pleasure to work with and well, just a super gal. Now here is the story of how I came to meet her. I sold hay to my neighbors, who Diane happens to provide services to. We were talking about my new venture and I was told about Diane’s website services. To cut the story short, I called Diane and she came to meet me. It didn’t take but a few minutes for me to know I wanted Diane to build my website. She will go the extra mile and give you the extra service. Now I consider her a new friend. So do you need a new website or one updated? Take a look at her work at http://www.busybeeinspirations.com you will like what you see!
When you have decided to sell the estate, where do you start? So many options to choose from.
You can have a sale yourself, contract a estate sales expert, and their team, call dealers, and sell as a lot or consign the items to them.
You decided to sell yourself, you will need to organize clean, price advertise and conduct the sale. After the sale you will then need to determine what to do with the items left. sell as a lot to a dealer, donate to a charitable group.
Contract an estate seller, find one that is knowledgeable, has good references and compatible for you to work with. they will organize clean, display, price advertise and conduct the sale. After the sale they can help with the left items based on your wishes. Call a dealer and sell or consign as a lot. the dealer will remove and inventory all items, price, display and sell them. If sold as a lot you will receive a single payment agreed upon, and you are free of the estate. consign you receive payments as items are sold based upon agreed terms.
Myself I love estate sales and usually find some good buys. I also love to buy complete estates and sell as we find the right customer for the right items.
this sometimes takes years on some special items.
Estate sales are always fun interesting and almost always you find an item that brings back some OLD memories. So weather your selling or buying, remember to enjoy the experience, don’t forget to tell the stories, as the story is sometimes worth the most.
I met Chief when i started work at the Waller County Hospital in EMS. We became friends, and started cooking together. Chief was an excellent cook, and he volunteered to cook for any charitable organization who asked him. I soon became a part of his team. We started a BBQ cook off team, and started BBQing for those same groups as a fundraiser. Fun and fellowship was the most important part of each event. OH we were serious about our BBQ, and it showed in the trophies we collected.
We don’t compete or cook much anymore, but we still tell the stories. FRIENDS like the CHIEF and many others are such an important part of my life. throughout my life and career I have been fortunate to meet and become true FRIENDS with so many. One friend once said we have many acquaintance’s, but a TRUE FRIEND IS A TRUE GIFT!
Daddy’s Girl and Big Mike with Grandson Stephen, recently took a trip to South Dakota, where we met with old and new friends.
Travel
We spent some Quality time together on the drive North.
In Kansas, we drove through snow and winds, drove on some backroads, and found GOOD OLD DOWN HOME COOKING along the way.
We stopped in Bladen, NE to pick up a seed mix for the farm’s spring planting.
Then onto Aberdeen, SD.
Time with Friends
We spent most of our time meeting old friends, and visiting with Family. This always means time at, the ONE AND ONLY, R & A Bar on North Main. My sister-in-law and Brother own this family bar and I use it at as meeting place.
We generally obtain picking information from the regulars, and ALWAYS meet some new friends.
Michelle and Joel introduced us to Bonnie and Ray, and we went picking in their storage building. We filled our trailer with treasures. Bikes, signs, old lawn equipment, hard to find Hub Caps, toys, and MORE. Thank you Bonnie and Ray, it was a pleasure to meet you and see all your treasures.
My Brother Joel surprised me with the Bud Neon sign I have been trying to acquire from here for several years. It is now on display in My office.
Spent time with the nieces, grand nieces and nephews. Daddy’s girl summed it up best: we visited, we ate, we slept a little, and then we did it all over again the next day.
I want to thank my cousin, Terrance, for storing last years bought treasures and helping load them into the trailer. And his special lady Jess.
My OLD High school buddy, Daryl, and his wife, Judy, came down and had lunch with us, we got kicked out as the steakhouse wanted to close and we were still visiting, Thanks for Lunch.
The last evening we all gathered at Pizza Ranch for fun food and visiting. Thank you to Sisters Ruth and Kathy, with Husband Don, for chasing auction and garage sales buys for me.
Special Event
My sister, Colleen, and brother-in-law, Craig, arranged tickets to the Wings Game, which was Shrine night. I was honored to be a guest of the YELDUZ SHRINE of Aberdeen. What a sight when the Wings Scored and the Ice was filled with stuffed toys for the Shrine Hospital.
Because of Family and friends, we are able to acquire special items all year long.
I am Humbled and proud to have met this Man and Artist.
We are extremely happy to be able to offer to you pieces of his work, ALL Original Canvas 1 of a kind pieces.
Leon has a strong faith and belief in GOD, FAMILY, AND ALL THE REST OF US.
His art work is what he sees through his eyes and heart. He expresses this through his abstract style of work. These pieces will find each set of eyes seeing something different, yet see his LOVE and Faith. I am not an art expert, yet I see in these pieces examples of struggles, endurance, love and pride.
Leon signing his artwork
Leon’s Artwork
Here is a sampling of his artwork, that we have had the privilege of purchasing from him. Come visit us for more of his artwork.
Leon Collins Biography
I have copied Leon’s biography here with his permission from Vintage Texas Paintings. He has an amazing story.
Leon Collins-Texas Artist
Born 1930 in Galveston and now resides in Navasota.
“The inspiration comes from my great, great grandmother…the will comes from God.”
Leon Collins was born in Galveston. At the age of four, he was sent to live with relatives in Baton Rouge. At eight he moved to Beverly Hills, California to live with his mother. Each summer he was sent to Brazoria, Texas to stay with his great-great-grandmother, “Big Mama.”
“Big Mama,” who lived to be 114, told him stories which he recorded in his Big Chief notebook. When Leon’s mother passed away, Leon moved from California to Navasota, Texas where his mother’s sister lived.
“If God gives me my sight back, I’m going to start painting again.”
For two years, Leon’s daughter, Molly Bee, was his caretaker when he was afflicted by brain cancer in 2005. In 2007, his sight returned. He kept his promise to God.
Before returning to his art, Leon spent time as a picker for Tejas Antiques. Duane Garner, owner, saw some of Molly Bee’s paintings and quickly sold them at his shop. Both Leon and Molly Bee were quickly in the art business. Word of their “folk” art quickly spread. Their paintings hang from coast to coast. Recently Rice University recognized their art with the exhibit “The Color of Life.”
Of his artwork, Leon Collins said: “Ninety percent of my work comes from God and Big Mama.”
Leon’s and Molly Bee’s Updates:
Leon and Molly Bee Collins will be part of the Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival April 10-13.
This opening is special for two reasons. This is a father / daughter exhibition and this is their first show in an art gallery. The Texas artist’s work is from their hearts and imaginations. Neither is trained as an artist, instead their paintings are ”recollections” of stories, events, places, characters and ideas brought to life in brilliant color.
Information for the Festival reads: “Leon’s need to paint came about because of an “unusual life situation. One morning Leon lost the ability to speak and his sight. For two years he lived in darkness and fear. He never lost his faith though. Miraculously both returned at the same time. It was at that moment he decided to paint “to keep the darkness away.” His daughter, Molly Bee, encouraged him to paint his poetry and that is why she is the light of his life.
Molly Bee acquired her nickname at the age of two. Named after Leon’s great-great grandmother’s sister, the first Molly Bee lived to be 119 and died in 1970. Her first memory was of seeing her parents chained together at a slave auction. She lived a rich, full life that she shared with Leon. It was these stories that Molly Bee began to paint in her own style at the age of nine. In 2007 a family friend, Duane Garner, asked her to paint something for his antique store which proved to be a wonderful idea because Molly has not stopped since. Molly Bee is a teenager, but tells stories with the “color of life.”
Source: “Leon Collins,” Old Art Guy, Web, July 2017
My friend and neighbor Leon Collins does a kind of folky-edgy/borderline unsettling art and cannot keep his work in stock.
Leon Collins – Sep 2011
He came to my art studio after he came to Navasota almost thirty years ago, and explained he was an artist and wanted to pursue an art career, and I took an interest in him and encouraged him. At the time another black artist, David Woods was setting the brush on fire with his black genre art, and I knew there was room for more. Then later one day I met him walking down the street, (he never drives, never had a car, ever) and he was carrying some antique fire buckets he wanted to sell. He was not painting, but had found he could make out better as an antique “picker.” I purchased quite a bit from him over the years, always talking about his talent, and him pretty much ignoring my advice.
Now it is the other way around.
Inspiration
Then around twenty years ago another artist, Junior Tenneyson came up with an idea that inspired Leon and soon he was exhibiting in Bryan and even Dallas. You may wonder what inspires him, and it is simple: making money. His black and white ink drawings sold pretty well… better than me for sure. Then he got bored with it and set aside painting for several years and went back to antique picking. When his daughter Molly, whom I have known since she was a little monkey that would climb me like a tree and take off my glasses, began to paint several years ago, he picked it up again. Especially when he saw how well people received her work. Leon has always loved the action of trading. And he responds to friendly competition too.
In the past few years, no kidding, he and Molly have painted and SOLD hundreds and hundreds, maybe a thousand paintings. She has pretty much moved on, but Leon has become a local, even a statewide phenomenon. TV interviews, magazine covers, articles… and more money and attention than he ever dreamed of.
Navasota
He and Molly began by setting up outside of Tejas Antiques in Navasota, and selling to tourists passing through. They painted on boards, doors, even over other artworks. Dwayne Garner gave him a home inside the place eventually, and since then Leon has eclipsed the rest of the shop. People love his paintings and buy them by the carload. He goes to art shows all over Texas and sells out. Important collectors make their way to Navasota and look wantingly up and down the street for him. They hardly ever leave empty-handed. They hardly ever give a hoot about the rest of us…
Leon has taught us a lot. He did all of this without advertising, or a website, even a business card. He never looked to the Chamber of Commerce or the art club or anybody for help. Yet he has created the single most successful marketing campaign Navasota or any town has ever seen.
Attitude
He smiles, talks about his life, and paints like crazy. He is always courteous and friendly. His countenance is infectious. He may be the most prolific artist Texas has ever produced. In the process, his art has become a true economic stimulator for Navasota, Texas.
Leon has proved that “word of mouth” is the very best form of advertising; That people buy when you get their attention, and are worthy of it; That sometimes the art is what people take home as a souvenir from a cherished acquaintance.
Leon has had a ball. He has never gotten all wrapped up in art talk or concern about materials or framing or anything. His may be the most pure, unpretentious art I have seen made. He gets a thought, and within hours it is drying in the sun. His works are composed without much research or visual resources, and he depends a great deal on his imagination and his personal experience. If he finds an old closet door, or a canvas screen, he paints on it. One day he is painting bluesmen, the next cowboys and Indians. One day Texas missions, the next day slaves in bondage. He does whatever appeals to him, unrestrained by the academic structure of design, drawing, or proportion. Or “good taste.” If his colors seem garish and his subjects edgy, then too bad. That’s what he did that day, no apologies. The off-the-wallness of his work seems to be part of the charm. He makes no pretense about what he makes or what it might be worth.
He often walks into my art gallery, sincerely wanting to help me, and suggests if I really wanted to make some money, I should buy some of his and double the prices…
Leon is back… – Nov 2012
Leon produces art like a madman with a gun to his head. He paints an average of at least one painting a day. A LARGE painting. That includes prep work and framing, and annoying me occasionally when he gets restless. He does not have time to think a thought. He paints what he sees, what he dreams, what he remembers, anything that comes to his mind. There is often no symbolic theme, no deep story behind his works, no mission, no central message; A little girl avoids the jaws of an alligator, a man ducks his wife’s rolling pin, black women sail through a cotton field dragging enormous sacks… A crazy looking bird watches… you don’t know what it is… He is as purely stream of conscious as I have ever known.
Smothered in approval and acceptance, Leon is even more addicted to the action … the thrill of painting and selling. He has no website, no business card. No agent. And he has sold thousands compared to my scores, just painting on the sidewalk in Navasota, Texas. His highest art actually begins when he begins to talk about the paintings… then he is at his most creative. Leon is nothing if not the biggest, the most talented salesman and story teller in Grimes County. But his verbosity is matched only by his impatience. And if you catch him after a slow day, you will land a hell of a bargain.
Amateur Artist?
Almost everything Leon Collins does is the antithesis to whatever any artist or professor or knowledgeable person has ever told me .And yet his sales outstrip whatever might be second. We talk all the time about the hows and whys… Leon’s work and its success is a perfect storm, the juxtaposition of local color, black culture, popular fantasy, and the white need to prove something. He is thriving purely because he offers a product that hits this culture right between the eyes… and they do not even know why. Ever since Picasso’s Guernica, art has denied the soul. But when people meet Leon Collins, they seem to discover theirs. He is the high priest of racial atonement, and his sidewalk easel the confessional. And he has won thousands of converts.
And yet amazingly, against all workshops and lectures about marketing to the contrary, his success is completely dependent on word of mouth.
In todays world, it is easy to become an at risk seller. There are many things that can put you at risk when selling your items. Not everyone is interested in buying, but rather just interested in finding out when it is safe to return for a five finger discount. Even worse still are those that want to harm you personally or your family.
Often you are able to meet in a public space that is safe. For example, parking lots where there is high traffic or even inside cafes or coffee shops. Another safe place is law enforcement centers which have set aside safe trading spaces, they are usually monitored by cameras. We highly recommend using the law enforcement safe trading spaces.
Should you be selling large or expensive items, consider a shop that accepts consignments. Then, you won’t be inviting unknown strangers into your home, putting you at an even greater risk. Many antique and collectible specialty shops accept consignments and will help you determine the value. You must ensure to get an itemized list of what you are consigning. The shops will also inform you of a sales percentage based on price of item.
Of course, here at Hill Top Sales, we hope you put your trust in us for this service. We have sold a variety of items for many clients over the years, and are proudly still doing this. We also offer bulk cleanup after a sell, just contact us for a quote.
However, if you need a whole estate sold, look to a qualified experienced estate sales team. They will know how to best sell your entire estate at appropriate pricing.
As a seller, just remember be SAFE, and when you can let experienced professionals help you liquidate your items.
There have been many exciting changes here at Hill Top Sales!
Daddy’s girl, aka. Rose, is adding events to our venue. She is planning one event a month.
Her first scheduled event is an Easter egg hunt for ALL, on March 30th. Yes, we know the kids will LOVE it, but hey, why not let everyone enjoy the fun. Check out our event on Facebook for more information.
Rose and the grandchildren filled the eggs with treats and coupons. Yes, coupons. Come out and hunt for the Easter eggs, and use the coupons for treasure you will find in the shops.
Big Mike has added store returned TOOLS, and created the TOOL SHED. All the tools are tested and functioning properly.
Also, we have acquired several Estate buy-outs and special picks to bring you quality and memorable items.
Antiques, collectibles, tools, artworks, and so much more.
Coming soon! Karla’s food concessions (El Vaquero Vends), she will be offering authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex meals. Check out her website, www.elvaquerovends.com.
Big Mike is also offering FREE space for you to sell your items. Garage sales are welcome to set up Free.
If you want to sell, set up for FREE and sell it.
There are many more changes and exciting events to come.
Welcome to a new year (2022), I’d like to take a moment to just say thank you to all of our customers. We would not be able to operate, if it weren’t for you, since no business can keep it’s doors open without customers coming and buying their products and services.
We have been fortunate to have some amazing customers, who continue to seek us for their needs. While, we have a wide variety of things we offer, from used vehicles to antique and vintage collectibles. Our motto is “Buy, Sell, Trade, Consign and Find.” Therefore, we work hard to provide great service to our customers.
Recently, we have begun selling outdoor solar lighting. By partnering with Ranch Hand Solar Lighting, we are now able of offer our customers various lighting options for their property. We truly stand behind this product, as we have purchased several ourselves.
As we move forward, we hope to continue getting to know our customers and provide them with what they are looking for. Let us continue to visit and learn of your stories, and share our stories with you.
Finally, we would love to hear from our past customers on how we did. Please recommend us on Facebook if you have enjoyed our services and leave a comment on Google. If you would also like to have a testimonial posted on our website, just let us know.
Yes, it is time to CELEBRATE the Birth of our savior, JESUS CHRIST. We call it Christmas. It is a time to remember that GOD gave us his only son to come live amongst us, and teach us the way GOD would like us to live. Jesus walked amongst us in the LIKENESS of GOD. He was crucified and rose again, as an example of GOD’S promise of everlasting life. He who BELEIVES in JESUS CHRIST shall have everlasting LIFE.
John 3:16
Now, I am not here to Preach, nor Judge, I am a believer and will celebrate the Birth of JESUS. Yes, I will wish each of you a Merry CHRISTmas and wish for the best for all.
I will Give of myself for the betterment of others, where and when I can. My gift is of MYSELF, of my time, and hopefully talent.
Today, we are open on this CHRISTmas eve, and hope to see you to visit and spread some cheer.
Don’t get confused, we will sell you something special if we can, and we have some precious memories available; BUT most IMPORTANTLY, we want to spread cheer and HOPE.
It is through FAITH and HOPE that we can BELIEVE THAT eternal life can be given to each of us, The GREATEST gift of ALL.
Shop local is a nice line to entice you, but what is it really?
For me, it is shopping your locally owned stores and shops.
These are the small shops, with local folks, trying to offer goods and services to and for the local folks. Small business owners are the backbone of local communities, and buying from them pays back directly to their families and community. It is through them that the fire departments, churches, various youth groups, etc. are able to keep the community thriving, without donations from the local small businesses, these various groups in the community would not exist.
Your local businesses are friendly, helpful and known.
Here at, Hill Top Sales, a local small business, you will find me, Big Mike, or my daughter, Rose, ready to help you. There’s even the grandchildren, who are usually either doing school work or helping with little chores around the business.
We are not a fancy shop, nor are we overly organized; however, we do have a wide variety of products available to you. Just a small country shop on the hill, on US 290, west of Brenham, Texas.
So, what do we do? We buy, sell, trade, consign, and find just about anything: Cars, Trucks, Trailers, Antiques, Vintage and Collectibles. Plus, our new line of Ranch Hand Solar Lighting.
I would like to personally invite you to come visit us, have a cup of fresh coffee, look around and tell us a story.
This question has often been asked of me, and mostly answered with receiving. I grew up in a large family and generally without much money, so as a child we wanted. As I grew older and was able to have some funds, I found the rewards of Giving.
The inner feeling of seeing the smile the expression of THANKS, is warm and refreshing. I now much prefer giving when i can.
The gift may have little value, maybe it is just some of your precious time, yet a reward to those receiving.
Some of the most memorable gifts have been home made and of little value to most but treasured by me.
Yes Big Mike wants you to come by and visit us at Hill Top Sales, maybe purchase a memorable gift for that special someone.
Hill Top Sales has many choices for bring memories alive.
Come by see and remember, and if you can give a gift of memories to that someone special.
We hope to see you and hear the story, see the smile, see the brightness in the eyes.
