5 Best Vintage shops in Athens, Ohio
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Let’s see, how can I put this… I’ve just always loved old stuff! Dropping by garage sales, poking around flea markets, visiting local vintage shops, popping into a roadside thrift store or antique mart. It can be retro, vintage, antique, I love it all. Indeed, I’ve acquired some of all of it!
What exactly do we mean by those terms? Over time many people have come to use the word “vintage” quite liberally, applying it to generally mean old or old-looking things. In fact a true vintage item is one which is at least 20 or 30 years old, say, from around the turn of the century, the 1990s or before. An object will become an “antique” once it’s over 100 years old, so today in 2021 we’d be talking about something made in 1920 or earlier.
What about “retro?” We see a lot of fun retro signage around our towns these days, kids play with retro toys, our coke bottles or beer glasses might be retro. This means an article which is not actually old but rather is a new item modeled after an old style, imitating trends and tendencies of the past. In other words, in reviving styles of the past, an object is made to look old-fashioned in order to be fashionable!
Where do I stand on all of this? Quite frankly, I might be guilty of using these terms rather loosely and not really feeling all that bad about it. As I said earlier, I tend to like old stuff.
I approach this from a number of different angles. First of all, I own things which have been handed down through the generations, family heirlooms if you will, or, some might say, “Grandma’s junk.”
Ever since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to preserve the old belongings of people in our family. I appreciate the objects themselves - the shapes, the materials, the way they were crafted, and at the same time I let my imagination wander, thinking about who used them in times gone by. I was able to recover quite a few things from my paternal grandparents including dishes, tea sets, silver, pottery from France, China serving dishes, a scarf from India, a Fabregé(ish) egg, monogrammed napkin rings. Contemplating these things takes me back to those people.
Sadly, when my mother’s parents passed away we lost many belongings, precious because of the family memories they embodied. Most of my grandparents’ relatives lived miles away and when their house had to be sorted, an unfortunate series of misunderstandings and events caused everything in their house to be carted away by the removal company, family heirlooms and antique photos, the grandfather clock (that struck on the hour all night long and drove everybody, except them, nuts), the loom, my grandma’s weavings and paintings. As heartbreaking as this may be, it’s one of those things that cannot be reversed, there’s no undoing it. I have learned though that replacements can sometimes be beneficial. I think particularly of a Mount Washington tomato-form sugar shaker that my mom bought years later, exactly like the one her mother kept cinnamon sugar in, and every time we see it, it brings back memories of my grandma, her house, the cupboard she kept the shaker in. A fine substitute.
So while it’s comforting and heart-warming to keep sentimental items and pass them on through the generations, it can also feel good to find similar things to bring back memories.
I would go one step further and suggest that it’s also exciting to go on shopping trips just for the fun of it to discover and acquire vintage-y home decor, furniture, clothing and more! What I love about a visit to a good vintage shop is that it takes me to a different place in time.
Since moving from Strasbourg, France to Athens, Ohio in August of 2020 I’ve been on the lookout for vintage, antiques, retro and thrift and I’ve compiled a list of the fantastic vintage shops I’ve discovered. Here they are!
Five best places to shop vintage in Athens, Ohio
Random House
12 West State Street, Athens, OH
Random House is a fun place with an ever-changing inventory. I always find something that wasn’t there the time before. The prices are very reasonable and haggling is sometimes entertained. Jim Jezik, the owner, had a vintage clothing and record store before opening Random House in 1986. He sells antiques, used furniture, LPs, vintage clothing and much, much more. Also very friendly and thoughtful! I bought some chairs but had no means of getting them to my place and Jim said, no problem, he’d just drop them off on his way home! And he did! No website, nothing on the FB page but you can always call Jim, he’d be happy to assist (740) 592-2464
Here’s my favorite find from Random House:
Artifacts Gallery
2 West State Street, Athens, OH - 740-856-7171
This is an awesome boutique with tons of great stuff. So much variety! Pottery, jewelry, cool clothes, tea towels, off-beat gifts, fantastic T-shirt selection, lots of retro stuff. And way in the back, a selection of vintage clothes in the true sense of the word, from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s! Love it! Here’s what Ally found there:
Athens Underground
90 Court Street, Athens, OH - 740-592-6286
There’s such a fun mix of items available at Athens Underground. It’s a vintage clothing and antiques store but with so much more. A wide range of vinyls, books on poetry and art, vintage copies of children’s and adult series, magazines, old postcards and collectibles. They’ve also got some tools, posters, furniture, masks and costumes. Something for everyone!
UpCycle Ohio
751 West Union Street, Athens, OH - 740-447-9014
Two concepts in one! The UpCycle Thrift Store sells “gently used goods” - clothing, furniture, housewares and toys as well as fabric and crafting supplies. But there’s more! The MakerSpace gives you access to tools and equipment for woodworking, welding, metalwork and sewing. Membership or punch card available. As they say themselves, “the MakerSpace aims to foster creativity and build entrepreneurial and educational opportunities in…Southeast Ohio.”
A fantastic set of seven partners (Habitat for Humanity, Athens County Public Library, Recycling & Refuse, Passion Works Studio, Zero Waste, Rural Action and ACE Net) share the mission to support a sustainable economy, protect the environment and create jobs.
Lindsey’s Collectibles
11 N Plains Rd, The Plains, OH - 740-797-2763
A neat little shop with a variety of antiques and collectibles. Adult and children’s clothing, hats, colorful vintage and antique glassware, toys, books, DVDs, LPs, framed artwork and home decor. Open on the weekends or by appointment. Give her a call or write on facebook. She’s very responsive and loves opening up her shop to visitors.
If you feel like staying in the comfort of your own home…
Sensational options for effortless online vintage shopping
I’ve also been known to purchase from the “vintage” selection when shopping online. More often than not, vintage on Amazon is going to be retro, that is new items styled after things from a time gone by. Sometimes that suits me just fine! I found just the dresses for some jazzy performances I did a few years ago.
I’m also crazy about the vintage (retro) swimming suits they have available. The fun thing about vintage swim suits is that they tend to be somewhat less revealing, are flattering for most body-types and are a tiny bit like a costume so it takes some of the pressure off of trying to look good as a bathing beauty.
There will be regular updates to this article coming soon! Up next: an expanded circle of vintage shops (think Columbus, OH) and more great online shopping options!
Have you been to any of these vintage shops in Athens, OH or could you suggest any I may have missed? Share your experiences in the comments below!