Toledoans shop for vintage treasures, bargains
TOLEDO – Hundreds gathered to thrift vintage clothing, home goods, vinyl records, toys, collectibles and other nostalgic wares during the Ohio Vintage Fest on Sept. 12.
The event, held at the Glass City Center, was originally exclusive to Columbus when it started in December 2021, but has since expanded, finding venues throughout Ohio, including Toledo.
Sam Brann, organizer of Ohio Vintage Fest, who does the marketing, management and behind-the-scenes planning for the event, noted the fest was brought to Toledo because it is a big city with a growing vintage scene.
“The main thing is I believe that products aren’t made as well as they were 20, 30, 40 years ago,” he said. “Compared to how they’re being made today, in sweatshops and using child labor, a lot of the stuff being sold at these types of events is holding up better than modern clothing.”
He added that several items on sale were made in the U.S, and since modern clothing is based on vintage items, the event was a chance for people to buy original instead of a remake.
Brann believes that one of the biggest appeals for buying vintage is affordability. With exceptions, the majority of the items were under $30. There are some booths with items that cost less than $5.
Haylee Falzone was one of the shoppers browsing the booths of about 50 vendors. She ended up purchasing a necklace, earrings and a ring with an opal stone from VBroadway Finds.
“Anything vintage just gives me a warm, cozy feeling,” she exclaimed, expressing that people tend to gravitate toward vintage for its nostalgic factor. “I’m also Christmas shopping.”
Falzone said she would attend Vintage Fest again if it returned to Toledo in the future, and Brann thinks that’ll happen.
“If I’m talking to somebody that’s around my age in their 20s, it’s a great place for you to get a whole new wardrobe, and you don’t have to break the bank to go do it,” he said. “If I’m talking to somebody that’s in their 30s, 40s and 50s, you’ll be able to relive the decades you grew up in because it’s all stuff from when that person was growing up.”
The next Ohio Vintage Fest will be held in Cincinnati on Oct. 26.
