New Palmetto vintage shop is more than a thrift store. Take a look at ‘treasures’ inside

Mid-century glassware, folk art, primitive decor, vintage electronics and iconic pop collectibles.

Those are some of what you’ll find at The Vintage Collective, which opened April 24 in Palmetto’s Arcade Building, 800 Eighth Ave W. in suites 5 and 7.

The Vintage Collective specializes in vintage goods and is also a maker’s space.

But it’s not an antique store or a thrift shop, say owners Melanie Kim and Silvija Damnjanovic.

The store offers a selection of carefully curated items that reflect the interests of the partners, which also include European ceramics and porcelain, nostalgia from the 1980s and 1990s, vintage clothing, jewelry and accessories.

The Vintage Collective is as eclectic itself as the Arcade Building, which is also home to the Somewhere in Time clock repair business and Rosalee’s Barber and Beauty. The entrance for all the businesses is at the rear of the building.

The Vintage Collective opens in Palmetto

The VHS tapes, vinyl albums, a pre-HDTV with a tape player, boom boxes, CD players, Polaroid cameras and vintage clothing are all reminders of a bygone era and reflect the tastes of Damnjanovic.

Kim’s tastes run to Japanese items, mid-century glassware, primitive art and products from the Victorian age.

The partners are both young mothers and met in a mom’s group. They found that they were both selling items online, became friends and decided to open a business in a brick-and-mortar setting.

Kim, 45, an ordained Presbyterian minister and the child of Korean immigrants, began thinking about opening a traditional retail business during the COVID-19 pandemic when there was a lot of downtime.

She began shopping for vintage items when she was 18.

“I had this longing for past history because I didn’t have that,” she said.

“My dad is an ordained Presbyterian minister as well and was serially orphaned. My parents came to the United States in a leap of faith. The only thing I have from Korea older than me is a blanket,” Kim said.

Damnjanovic and Kim did the work themselves to prepare their space in the Arcade building for The Vintage Collective, including wallpaper and painting.

“It’s amazing how handy you can become out of sheer necessity. Literally, blood, sweat and tears went into this place,” she said.

Vintage shop has ‘treasures’ for sale

“We picked Palmetto because it’s the place where mom and pops thrive,” Kim said.

Having a partner with divergent tastes helps provide a wider breadth of vintage goods for people who enjoy giving new life to relics from the past, Kim said.

“There are vignettes of different eras. Your eyes follow the story throughout the store. There are treasures waiting to be discovered,” Kim said.

“We have a heart for sustainability, to give vintage items a new life,” she said.

Adds Damnjanovic: “I hope the treasures I find are the treasures you’re looking for.”

The Vintage Collective seeks to be a hub for the community, including networking groups and arts and crafts makers. The first of the maker’s space activities will focus on “sun catchers,” using crystals, agate, and gems to collect and reflect light inside the home.

Another example of a maker’s activity might include a class on knitting or crocheting.

The Collective now has two suites and is planning to expand into a third.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, visit the Vintage Collective Facebook page.