About

The Many Faces of Mimi

Photo of Ian and Amanda standing together with hands raised in front of the Mimi's Attic store awning at the original State Street location

Ian Rydgren & Amanda Oczkowski, Store Owners

Ian and Amanda purchased Mimi's Attic from Store Founder Kelly Moreland in November 2020.

Ian started at Mimi's Attic as a Mimi's Mover in October 2015 and has worked every position in the store on his way to becoming Store Manager.  Originally from small-town Malone in the Northern Adirondacks, Ian came to Ithaca to study music education in 2011 and has been here ever since! Outside of work, he's an avid reader, gamer, and poi spinner. But his true passions lie with table-top role playing games (like Dungeons and Dragons) and other forms of group story telling!

Amanda first came to Ithaca in 2010 for graduate study in Mechanical Engineering and soon fell in love with Ithaca and the region. She set down roots with partner Ian, who first introduced her to the Mimi's Attic family, and they have since furnished most of their home together with fabulous finds from the store. Amanda has a passion for building relationships with others and is excited to become a formal part of the leadership of a store so uniquely tied to the community that supports it. She particularly loves that every item that comes through Mimi's has a story and a personal connection to the local community. Before committing to running the store full-time, Amanda could be found at Cornell University, where she worked in the office of Diversity Programs in Engineering.


professional portrait of Kelly Moreland, smiling woman with chin length light hair

Kelly Moreland, Founder

Kelly opened Mama Goose, a second-hand children’s clothing store, in December 2003 in a tiny storefront on Seneca Street. In June 2008, she and the Mama Goose team moved up the street to the Bishops Hardware Building, quadrupling the physical space of Mama Goose as well as the merchandise offered. In 2010, when the Bishops Home Pro Center closed its doors, Kelly decided to expand once again and open a new store. One of the staff members brought up the idea of home furnishings and the idea for Mimi’s Attic was born. Kelly loves all things second-hand, but holds a special place in her heart for used furniture and décor.


sepia toned monochrome photo of a young woman with dark hair in profile

Ethel "Mimi" Hinkel, Kelly's grandmother and the inspiration for Mimi's Attic

Mimi made her first home as an adult in a small, newlywed apartment in Brooklyn in which she took great pride. She later moved with her five children to a farm house while her husband served in World War II, and then finally settled into her long-time home in the downtown of Danville, Pennsylvania. Widowed at a young age, Mimi spent most of her adult life as a single parent, a full-time school teacher of French and English, and matriarch to many.  Everything in Mimi’s house was pretty, especially from the eyes of a little girl: copper roosters on the walls of the kitchen, well-stocked vanities in the bedrooms, matching bedspreads, pewter figurines, cast iron doorstops, roll-top desks and happy plants in every room.  Probably most impressive to a child was the large, mahogany dining room table with lion’s feet.  At this table, Mimi hosted many dinners. They began with a leisurely “cocktail hour” and ended with blueberries and milk or sherbet and chocolate syrup.  The children were in charge of filling the silver pitcher with ice water and “crumbing” the linen tablecloth after dinner. Mimi loved yard sales, thrift stores and flea markets, and she passed down this passion to her children and grandchildren. Some of her favorite things to seek out were antique tools and silver. She appreciated quality and style, and, like so many of us, enjoyed plucking out items of distinction.


Our Staff

Our friendly and knowledgeable staff are on hand to answer any questions you may have.  Ask them anything --- if they don't know off-hand, they'll find out!


Contact us

Mimi's is open for remote shopping here on our website every day, and our Showroom is open 5 days per week Thursday through Monday (10:00am to 6:00pm Mo/Th/Fr/Sa; 12:00pm to 6:00pm Su; closed Tu/We). Buyers are on site in our Intake department Thursdays through Mondays. Reach us by phone at (607)-882-9038 or by e-mail at info@mimisatticithaca.com.


Find us

Mimi's is located at 401 Elmira Road, in Buttermilk Falls Plaza.
For shopping, visit the Showroom in Units 2-4. For selling, visit our Intake team in Unit 8.

MAP to our location