Lexington’s collection of vintage shops has ballooned in recent years, with Instagram helping increase online sales and visibility for individual vintage vendors, an increasing number of whom have branched out to open their own brick-and-mortar shops following success as online retailers. Not only do vintage shops support the concepts of sustainability and recycling, but they are also a way to honor history and to provide unique conversation pieces to our homes or wardrobes.
On the following pages, we’ve outlined a handful of our favorite local vintage shops, some of which have been around for over a decade and others that have only opened recently. When doing your holiday shopping, any of these spots would be a great stop if you’re looking for a a unique one-of-a-kind gift for that person in your life who has everything.
Cold Collection. Photo furnished
Cold Collection
367 Southland Dr. • Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., 12-7 p.m. • Instagram: @coldcollectionlex
A relatively new addition to the local shopping scene, Cold Collection opened its original location, a small storefront on Waller Avenue, in 2021, before moving to a larger space on Southland Drive in recent months. What distinguishes this vintage haven from others in town is its distinct focus on modern streetwear and sneakers: vintage band t-shirts, University of Kentucky gear and other graphic tees, as well as a large selection of retro Nikes, hats, jeans and other streetwear fill the racks.
“We try to make vintage, sneakers and streetwear accessible to everyone, in one convenient location,” said Trey Lewis, who co-owns the shop with his partner Emilie Thomas.
Emporium. Photo furnished
Emporium
193 Kentucky Ave. • Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. • emporiumlex.com • Instagram: @emporiumlexington
This curated vintage consignment shop offers eclectic home decor, art, furniture, estate jewelry, antiques, oddities, collectibles and vintage fashion and gifts. Specializing in items that strike owners Anne and Kelli Helmers — sisters-in-law who also own the neighboring business Blue Moon Estate Sales — as beautiful, stylish and funky, the store, which opened in the fall of 2020, started as a simple vintage shop, expanding inventory as the owners and their team have noted needs for options for furniture and luxury-item consignment.
With a vibe that Kelli Helmers describes as “eclectic maximalist,” the shop is built on a foundation of incorporating high-quality items that help impart a sense of history and beauty into a space.
“There are so, so many reasons to shop vintage. It sets your style apart, and it’s so fun to tell stories about the past lives of your vintage pieces,” said Kelli Helmers.
Gonzo Vintage. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
Gonzo Vintage
132 W. Third St. Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., 12-6 p.m. and by appointment • Instagram: @shopgonzovintage
A treasure trove of the highest order, Gonzo Vintage offers an eclectic mix of modern furniture, art, collectibles and home decor. Operating as a vendor for a variety of local and regional vintage markets since 2020, Gonzo opened its own independent storefront in recent months on Third Street, near the campus of Transylvania University. Owner Matt Smith takes pride in preserving history, restoring all pieces to their original factory finish before putting them on the floor. With over 2,000 square feet of storefront space filled with beautiful, interesting items, walking through the store feels a bit like walking through a museum.
POPS Resale. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
POPS Resale
1423 Leestown Road • Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m.-7 p.m. • popsresale.com • Instagram: @popsresale
In 1996, responding to what they felt was a lack of local retail options for high-quality “Previously Owned ProductS,” Dan and Sharon Shorr opened POPS Resale. Located in Meadowthorpe Shopping Center, this quirky and unpretentious shop has been a steadfast hub for previously loved vintage clothing, housewares, collectibles, records and other items ever since.
Central to the 6,000-square-foot shop — both literally and figuratively — is its enormous collection of both new and used vinyl records, perfect for crate diggers of every musical taste. POPS also offers a healthy selection of gently used vintage stereo gear. In the back of the store awaits a curated collection of vintage clothing, from t-shirts and jackets to dresses, costume items and more.
Scout Antique & Modern. Photo furnished
Scout Antique & Modern
935 Liberty Rd. • Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., 12-3 p.m. • scoutlexington.com • Instagram: @scoutlexington
An upbeat shop with an eclectic mix of period antiques, original mid-century modern art, estate jewelry and designer furnishings, Scout Antique & Modern puts a unique spin on the traditional antique store, with lots of unique and funky finds mixed with classic antiques. The shop’s team takes pride in providing a fresh shopping experience for its customers each time they come in, with new items arriving daily and a concerted effort to turn inventory over every 60 days. Named for owner Jeff Perkins and his partner Greg Feeney’s dog, a terrier rescue pup who was named after the young character in Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Scout has become a trusted local source for all things eclectic, from décor, furniture and rugs to jewelry, art and oddities.
With a dozen consignors, Scout offers a mix of styles and decor to fit a variety of tastes, from traditional to modern.
Street Scene Vintage. Photo by Bradley Quinn
Street Scene Vintage
2575 Regency Road • Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m-7 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun. ,12-5 p.m. • streetscenevintage.com • Instagram: @streetscenevintage
The Regency Road vintage shop Street Scene Vintage opened in 2007, making it one of Lexington’s “O.G.” hubs for vintage finds. In 2020, original owners Terri Wood (who also owns the neighboring business Coffee Times) and Kathryn Wiseman passed the ownership torch to longtime employees Madison Wathen and Jillian Dunaway, who have maintained the shop’s primary focus on “wearable favorites from the 1950s to Y2K,” without making many sweeping changes since taking it on.
In addition to vintage clothing and new and used accessories, Street Scene also offers a well-curated selection of home decor and gift items, from vintage aprons, salt & pepper shakers and Pyrex to puzzles, vintage ashtrays and glassware.
Subject Matter. Photo furnished
Subject Matter
771 W. Main St. • Mon.-Sun., 11 a.m.-6 p.m. • smvintagecollective.com • Instagram: @subjectmatterlex
A vintage “collective” consisting of 20 vendors who each have their own unique tastes and styles, Subject Matter is one of the newer vintage shops to come on the scene, opening its doors in 2022. Owners Samantha Murphy and Troy Lyon aspire to create a fun and welcoming setting for folks to shop in and seek treasures to help beautify their spaces — offering a variety of antique, traditional, kitsch, vintage, mid-century modern and contemporary items for a variety of budgets and styles, the shop’s inventory ranges from original art, rugs, furniture and decor, to vintage clothing and jewelry.
Wearhouse. Photo furnished
Wearhouse
941 National Ave. • Thurs.-Sun., 12-5 p.m. • wearhouseky.com • Instagram: @wearhouseky
This curated boutique specializes in hand-selected vintage and high-end clothing, accessories, home decor and art. Located in the Warehouse Block on National Avenue, the shop, which opened in the beginning of 2020, is owned Shanda Snyder and Liz Busse, who also organize the popular Drunken Flea vintage market.
Snyder and Busse take pride in highlighting the stories behind the pieces they carry when possible, whether by engaging with shoppers in the store or posting entertaining videos on the shop’s Instagram feed.
“What makes a specific piece special is the story behind it, and sharing that with people is such an important part of the experience of buying vintage,” said Snyder.
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The Domestic. Photo furnished
The Domestic
904 National Ave. • thedomesticlex.com • Instagram: @the_domestic
The first in a series of multi-vendor vintage shops to open in recent years, this Warehouse Block staple features dozens of vendors selling a curated mix of vintage and modern items in two large warehouse-style rooms. Inventory ranges from home furnishings and rugs to records, clothing and accessories, with recently featured treasures include a wicker peacock chair, a set of pewter Godinger goblets and a pair of collectible McDonald’s Peanuts glasses.
Feather Your Nest
1317 E. Main St. • lexantiques.com • Instagram: @featheryournest
For more than two decades, this eclectic vintage and antique shop has been providing a selection of classic antique items and quirky, one-of-a-kind items. Located in Meadowthorpe Shopping Center, the multi-vendor shop also features an outdoor garden shop with planters, outdoor furniture and other garden accessories. Recently featured treasures include a collection of aqua blue hob-knob opalescent glass, vintage Christmas decor and a pair of antique rose velvet Victorian chairs.
Lexington Peddler’s Mall
1205 E. New Circle Road • buypeddlersmall.com • Instagram: @lexpeddlersmall
With hundreds of vendors spread over tens of thousands of floor space, a trip to the Peddler’s Mall is an absolute commitment. While curation and overall cohesion might be lacking, that makes unearthing the Peddler’s Mall treasures — and there are plenty! — all the more rewarding.
Vintage Therapy
101 W. Loudon Ave., Ste. 178 • vintagetherapy.co • Instagram: @vintagetherapy_lex
T-shirts, jackets and streetwear take center stage at this Greyline Station vintage clothing haven, but vintage denim, Kentucky gear, posters and accessories are also aplenty.