Local Vintage Stores To Keep An Eye On
By Bruno Povejsil, studiobstyle guest blogger
As I’ve written before, it’s important to shop local and support neighborhood businesses whenever we can, especially when we’re dealing with a pandemic that puts those stores in financial and physical peril.
I’ve also previously mentioned the value of vintage goods, both for interior design professionals and homebound DIY-ers. This week we’re looking at some of our favorite antique, vintage, and consignment stores in the Twin Cities, and what makes them unique resources for designers.
Vintage artwork listed on our studiobstyle home page. Find us on instagram @studiobstylehome
Arlee Park is a secondhand store that sells furniture, decor, and clothing, most of which is vintage, some of which is newly made by artists and craftspeople, and all of which is stylish and reasonably priced. They are currently closed due to the coronavirus, but their ecommerce store is still going strong.
Among all the stores mentioned here, Arlee Park has best figured out the business of taking vintage shopping online. Their store and instagram show most of what they have for sale, although stopping by when they reopen will be worthwhile to see what doesn’t make it out to online followers!
Barb says, “One of the reasons I love Arlee Park is that they have an online inventory I can look through and purchase from immediately and send an assistant to pick up later. It’s fast, convenient, and safe.”
Vintage vase listen on studiobstylehome. Find us on instagram @studiobstylehome
SouthSide Vintage makes vintage shopping an event. They only open every other weekend(one such weekend was just before this blog went up), and the owners use the time between openings to restock and stage their goods, so customers are able to see what products look like in a room. During their downtime, their social media accounts show off the vibrant personalities and daily lives of the owners.
“We love SouthSide as peers in staging and design, and for their excellent taste in vintage goods. It’s fun to see their posts and get inspired,” noted Barb.
H&B Gallery is the big league antique store in town. They have tons of space, filled with an awe-inspiring collection of antique art, jewelry, and furniture. They also offer appraisal and consignment services for those looking to part with their own collections. They’re also unique on this list for being certified to host estate and home sales, which are great when shopping for value.
They combine just about every part of vintage and antique shopping into one store, making them especially convenient for shoppers looking to trade in their own goods or be as efficient as possible with their time.
“H&B has real antiques and amazing collectibles, stuff I really want to keep. Their inventory is full of inspiring and rare pieces.”
Items listed on our home page. Find us on instagram @studiobstylehome.
Blake Antiques is where Barb Schmidt goes when she knows she needs something special. This Hopkins store hosts a multitude of antique and vintage dealers, meaning that if you don’t find the perfect item, odds are good you’ll find someone who knows where to look.
While the shop’s website mentions they specialize in items from the 1850’s-1960’s, the dealers cover a wide range of genres and time periods. The only thing more valuable than the merchandise might be the combined knowledge and experience of so many antique and vintage experts housed in one place.
Barb said, “I almost always find something in Blake Antiques. I think it has to do with the level of quality of the collections. They tend to have more unique and better quality.”
Counter stools listed on our home page @studiobstyle on instagram
Items that appear in studiobstyle photo shoots and staging projects often end up needing a loving home, and we are now pulling those goods out of storage to make them available to consumers. Our very own digital retail storefront offers modern, vintage, and antique decor and furnishings at deep discounts from their original prices.
“The pieces we’ve collected are from all over the country, all over the world,” says Barb. “Travel is hard right now, but you can still find collectibles to create your own altar of Mediterranean or Floridian style to create the sense that you’re really there.”