Apparently, self-fulfilling prophecies aren’t all bad: take Suzanne Stammer, who once pointed to an empty retail space on Adams Street and declared that she wanted to open a store there. Five years later, that very location is home to Vintage Vibes, a used clothing, furniture and accessories store that opened last October.
Vintage Vibes is the first brick and mortar venture for Stammer, who had previously done antique shows across the country as well as at the Erie Street Market, in the past. Stammer acquired her Uptown space while looking for a temporary space to store merchandise. Toledo has been very receptive, encouraging her presence in the city, so she decided to capitalize on the opportunity and set down roots.
A quick bloom
She opened the store without a name, defining the shop’s identity and learning how to direct the business along with her other job at the Maumee Bay Brewery. She soon realized her unusual hours provided a unique advantage. “[People] would walk by at eleven o’clock and say ‘oh, you’re open?’” she said. “Before I knew it, I had ten people in here… they don’t know each other, but they are having conversations about life, and love, and what makes everything work or not work… and it’s just great. It’s a nice vibe.”
Perhaps that positive feeling comes with the antique territory. A longtime fan of vintage styles, Stammer has a special interest in the history behind merchandise and enjoys observing the nostalgic feelings customers experience in her shop.
“I like the fact that it sparks people’s memories and takes them back to a place in time,” she said. “Everybody has a story about something someone had in their home when they were growing up, you know?”
Opening a time capsule
The only rule she follows when buying antiques is to stay away from the ordinary. Stammer sources the store’s merchandise from “everywhere”: auctions, small town thrift stores, even the side of the road (ask about her “chairs in the trash” story). In addition to a wide and unique selection of goods— there’s an entire section of fur coats— Stammer wants Vintage Vibes to be an integral part of Uptown. “I want [people] to find things that they enjoy, and not just buy; I also want them to enjoy their experience here. I want them to see things differently, come in and feel refreshed,” she said. “I would like it to be a destination.”
Stammer welcomes those who stop by to chat and have a glass of wine. “Hank’s my PR guy,” she comments, referring to her beloved Plott Hound. He spends time at the store with her, silently wagging his tail. “He’s my silent partner,” she adds with a smile.
2-10pm Thursday, Noon-10pm Friday and Saturday, noon-4pm, Sunday.
Vintage Vibes, 1501 Adams St.
facebook.com/vintagevibestoledo
