Vintage may be seeing a surge in popularity in recent years thanks to retro television shows, but Austin’s large selection of vintage and antique specialty stores have always been a staple of the town’s shopping circuit. Whether you’re a college student looking to outfit a first apartment or the owner of a top floor penthouse in downtown Austin, the city’s vintage stores can outfit your home and your body from top to bottom.
Uncommon OBJECTS
Uncommon OBJECTS has been a fixture of the South Congress scene, close to the Shady Hollow neighborhood, since it first opened in 1991. The unique store, which draws locals, tourists, and celebrities in droves, was founded by Steve Wiman, who honed his skills for cleverly collecting the odd and unusual when he shopped for and decorated Chili’s restaurants. Today, Wiman’s store hosts 23 vendors who scour the globe for interesting and beautiful finds. Each section is organized by color, and patrons can find everything from antique milk bottles, to vintage classroom maps, to political campaign memorabilia, to antique religious paraphernalia. The stock rotates every week as the aisles flood with shoppers, many of whom are collectors, and many others who admire the museum-like quality of the store’s beautiful displays.
Room Service Vintage
Located in the quirky North Loop shopping district adjacent to Hyde Park homes, Room Service Vintage packs a massive selection of constantly revolving 1950’s-70’s furniture, lighting, clothing, costume jewelry, records, magazines, art glass, accessories, and more into a 3,500 square foot space. Founded in 1981, the store is known as a vintage lover’s dream, offering reasonable prices and allowing shoppers to get lost in a maze of mod and mid-century furniture that snakes throughout the store. Shelves and cases are full of housewares from the different decades, and every inch of space is covered with vintage and antique knick-knacks, clothes, shoes, bags, and pendant lamps.
Amelia’s Retro Vogue & Relics
Amelia’s Retro-Vogue & Relics is located in the heart of the South First Street IBIZ district in a bright turquoise 1930's house. Surrounded by coffee shops, restaurants, and shade trees, the store is an ideal shopping spot for a day out exploring vintage treasures. Amelia’s focuses specifically on items and clothing dating from the mid-1800′s to the mid-1900′s. The store’s reputation has made a mark on the film industry, and designers from both movies and theatre often peruse the shops for props and inspiration. The shop is also well known for a large selection of hats, which are displayed throughout the store next to bridal wear, jewelry, eyewear, vintage lingerie, cuff-links, hand bags, and other accessories. Shoppers interested in antique textiles can find daywear, cocktail and evening gowns, separates, suits, and linens throughout the home’s former living and dining rooms.
Uptown Modern
Uptown Modern is a vintage furniture store specializing in restored vintage teak, walnut, and rosewood Danish and mid-century modern credenzas, desks, tables, chests, wall units, lounge chairs and sofas from the 1940s-1980s. The store also sells industrial metal furniture such as bars, tables, consoles, kitchen islands, desks, coffee tables, and rustic artisan-made wood and metal pieces. Mad Men has made the décor of Uptown Modern universally popular again, and the store does not disappoint in recreating a mod and classic furniture tableaux for any home.
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