Vintage by Misty opened last week on Central Ave., just doors down from Mercantile. The owner, namesake Misty, who formerly sold her vintage finds within Estilo Boutique in Scottsdale, has filled the space with an eclectic and arty mix of clothing, jewelry, and some housewares she’s picked up from Europe and Israel.

“Every piece has a story,” she explained as I perused dresses, tops, and kimono jackets in colorful fabrics.

She has an amazing selection of unique jewelry, which she says, isn’t all on display yet.

Be warned, this brand of vintage isn’t for bargain hunters. Most dresses I looked at were in the one hundred dollar range, but a few climbed to over $200. Same goes for the statement jewelry.

Coming soon: a (free) coffee/pastry bar in the back of the store for customers to drink and snack while perusing.

Vintage by Misty
818 N. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85004
10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, Sunday by appointment
(602) 707-6235

Guide to Phoenix vintage shops >>

My speakeasy salon is about to go public.

I’ve gotten my haircut downtown for years at a little nondescript space on Central without a sign, or any discernible markings. “How cool is that — a speakeasy salon!” a friend enthused.

Well my down-low hair joint  is about fly above the radar in a big way.

Shauna Thibault (hairstylist, makeup artist, stylist extraordinaire)’s workspace is evolving into a full-blown salon/boutique opening under the name Mercantile. Currently vintage line, Hailey’s Hand Me Downs and local letterpress faves, SeeSaw are selling their wares. But more is on the way…

And…they are getting a sign.

Mercantile is located at 828 N. Central Avenue in Phoenix between Roosevelt and McKinley. Visit the store Monday through Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. and every First Friday from noon to 10 p.m.

They are having a Christmas Eve wrapping party from noon – 5 p.m., a perfect time to check out the new store, wrap, perhaps buy a last-minute gift (or one for yourself).

More on Hailey’s Hand Me Downs >>

Whenever I see the word “vintage,” my interest is piqued. I’ve driven by Cheap Thrills numerous times with the intent to go in, but usually when I’m at 24th Street and Indian School, I’m on my way to or from something.

Over the weekend, I finally made a stop.

Cheap Thrills is located just east of 24th street on the north side of Indian School. The transformed house has plenty of parking in the back — also using the space to showcase merchandise: some small furniture, a rack of clothes, knick knacks.

Inside is part vintage clothes store, part cram-every-little-space-with-old-stuff-you-can. Every nook and cranny is piled with old things; some you’d call vintage, others you just might call old. The shelves in what look like the former dining room are overflowing with 1950s and 60s-style corning ware and other kitchen goods. A former bedroom is lined with shoes — some hanging from the ceiling. An old shower now showcases a teapot and random other antique-looking stuff.

My favorite part, however, are the vintage clothes and accessories.

A built-in rack rotates trays showcasing loads of vintage jewelry and brooches. There is a room dedicated to women’s vintage finds. Go further back to a smaller room featuring vintage party dresses. Currently there is a rack of cool coats and capes from past decades.

I ended up leaving with a cool orange polyester dress for $25 that will be perfect for next spring.

Check it out at:

Cheap Thrills
2540 East Indian School Rd.
Phoenix, AZ

See more vintage spots around town >>

Some of my favorite vintage spots have closed (Nostalgic Alley) or are in the process of closing (Hollywood Regency), but new places are taking their place.

The newest as of Saturday, LollyPOP Vintage.

While it’s technically not new, it’s been living in Retro Ranch for awhile, it has moved into its own, larger space and thus has even more merchandise.

Lollypop Vintage
4804 N. 7th Avenue  (NW corner of 7th Ave. & Pierson)
Phoenix, Arizona 85013
(602) 516-7057

See more vintage spots around town >>

See the story (and more pictures) on Jackalope Ranch blog >>

Buffalo Exchange is more than destination for humiliation via tattood/pierced young people who have disdain for your old clothes — they also have a ever-changing vintage collection.

Each store generally has a hanging space and maybe a round of funky vintage wares that runs the gamut from glamorous to goofy.  Good to think about when Halloween is right around the corner!

Buffalo Exchange
730 E Missouri Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85014

OR

227 W University Dr.
Tempe, AZ

Guide to Phoenix vintage >>

Poor Little Rich Girl (PLRG) a women’s-wear consignment store,  is located right around the corner from my house.

I saw it go in several months ago, but didn’t give it much thought until a friend raved about it, “I got my new favorite dress for $8!”

With that ringing endorsement, it could no longer be ignored.

PLRG, located in the Sunbrite strip mall next to Luci’s and the old Richardson’s, specializes in casual clothing and accessories and carries brand names like DKNY, Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers, and other popular, classic brands. The items are nearly new — don’t plan on selling your well-worn kicks and ratty clothing here.

The store is small, but well-organized. Shirts and sweaters are arranged by size along the wall. On the shelf above, shoes are lined from small to large. Hanging on the wall are some of the standout outfits and bags. Racks of dresses are scattered around the store. There are several areas dedicated to accessories: necklaces, bangles, flower pins, etc.

The prices are reasonable ($14 for a top or $24 for a dress) and their deals are a steal (blue tagged items are currently 75% off).

Put your clothes on consignment and get 40% of the sale price in cash or 50%  in PLRG credit, which is good at both locations. Take a look at their list of acceptable items; they are currently only buying up fall items.

The best thing, since the store is consignment, there’s an ever-changing rotation of clothes. I plan on stopping by frequently.

Poor Little Rich Girl
1576 E Bethany Home Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85014
Open Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

OR

3730 E. Indian School Rd.
Phoenix, AZ
Open Monday – Friday from 1 – 8 p.m.
Saturday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday from 12 – 5 p.m.

Hollywood Recency is home of one of the best vintage selections in town. The giant space, located in the back of Zinnia’s antique mall, houses rack after rack of vintage women’s and men’s clothing and accessories.

Women — find anything your vintage-loving heart desires from formal gowns to foundation garments. The hat selection alone will make you rethink your approach to accessorizing.

Men, often neglected when it comes to vintage-stores, can choose from  ties, tie-tacks, vintage suits and a slew of 1960s Hawaiian shirts in bold patterns.

Dotted throughout the store are cool old-school knick-knacks, housewares, books, etc., but the star of the show is, without-a-doubt, the clothing.

Tip: The antique mall can be tricky to find. Pull into Flo’s Thrift Store, and you’ll see the Zinnia’s building in the back on the left-hand side of the parking lot.

Hollywood Regency
724 W. Indian School Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85013 (Inside Zinnia’s )

One of the accessory display cases.

A small portion of the hat collection.

The men’s section.

Knick-knacks.

Mid-century modern buffet. They’ve got it.

Presidential portraits, they’ve got  those too.

I covet a lot of the store merchandise, but be warned, this is not a shopping spot for DIYers or deal hunters. This is a destination for mid-century modern in great condition — and you pay for that.

After all, the thrill is in the hunt!

Red Modern Furniture & Mint Vintage Clothing
201 E. Camelback
Phoenix, AZ 85012

See the whole map of Phoenix vintage >>

Visit Retro Ranch for a reasonably-priced one-stop vintage shop.

The cozy store is full of yesteryear relics — from clothes to furniture, to dishes, to cocktail shakers to a giant tiki-style outdoor bar.

Let’s start with the clothes. The back corner of the shop, named Lollipop Vintage,  is jam-packed with men’s and women’s shirts, sweaters, dresses, bathing suits and even ruffled foundation garments (see below). There are a few pairs of shoes and accessories scattered around — but the main draw is the dresses. On a recent trip, I tried on a cute trapeze-style summer dress for $16 and took home a floral shirt-dress for $39. Note: make sure you look around carefully. There are neat baubles and accessories stashed all around the store you might not want to miss.

Another great find at Retro Ranch: vintage books. I love looking through the fondue cookbooks and Better Homes and Gardens guides, which contain a lot of good uses for the rest of the kitchen and entertaining dishes, serving pieces and other tchotchke found around the store.

Every time I go into the shop I leave with something: a pair of wooden salt and pepper shakers, cheap sunglasses, or a gift for a friend — and I because it’s vintage and relatively inexpensive, I rarely feel guilty.

Colorful, ruffled vintage lingerie…

The store at a glance…

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A starburst wall decoration I like…

An additional rack of men’s clothes…

Great pieces for old-school entertaining…

A close-up of the Retro Ranch yellow Suburban…

Retro Ranch
4303 N 7th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85013

View a map of Phoenix vintage spots >>

The Duce is a restaurant. A bar. A soda fountain. A retail outlet. A gym. A coffee bar. There are probably about 12 more things I’m forgetting.

Located in a remodeled warehouse space in South Central Phoenix (Central and Lincoln), The Duce has the cool, urban look only a historical building can achieve.

The retail
Much of the warehouse is dedicated to retail space: embroidered and bedazzled Army surplus items, vintage sports clothes, military boots, high top tennis shoes…and organic milk. Needless to say, there’s an array of retail offerings at The Duce.

The gym
For the low cost of $5 a day, visitors have access to a heavy bag, a medicine ball, some ancient stationary bicycles (like 1960s ancient) and my favorite, a climbing rope.  I would have easily  paid $5 just to try the climbing rope…IF it wasn’t visible to the entire bar/dining room.

The restaurant/bar
I visited The Duce for lunch. The menu is limited; sliders and salad are really the only lunchtime options. For dinner they add a few more items: Chicken, spareribs and pasta (see menu).  I tried the slider sampler plate: mini-meatball, brisket and chicken sausage sandwiches. The sandwiches were pretty good, but I think the real draw is going to be the bar.

The bar is a showpiece: large, wooden, deco.  Drinks are served in mason jars. The best part in my book, however, is the super-sized drink option. Get a regular-sized drink for a regular price, or get a large drink (around the size of a pickle jar) for “2-3 people” slightly more. Take your giant drink to the amazing patio for some outdoor unwinding.

Parking is limited at The Duce, but there’s complimentary valet in the evening.

The deco bar…

Order food at the airstream out back…

An amazing patio for eating/drinking…

Some of the Army surplus offerings…

The Duce
525 S Central Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 253-9033