Spotlight: Fremont Vintage Mall

I don't explore my own city enough, often falling into a routine, and visiting the same places over and over again. So when I had a staycation day last week, I visited an oldie but goodie: the Fremont Vintage Mall. 

A short explanation in case you are unfamiliar with thrift vs consignment vs vintage and other types of stores: They are all great ways to recirculate second-hand items. Thrift stores get their products donated to them, and because of that, they are the least controlled for quality and least curated. Think of thrifting as where you can often get the best prices but have to wade through volume. Consignment stores purchase their inventory, so they are more likely to search for items of higher quality, both in terms of condition and meeting a certain bar for theme or brand. Vintage is also very curated, and tends to also represent a specific time period. Vintage and consignment will often have higher prices than thrift, but you'll be more likely to find that treasured or collectible item. 

In the case of Fremont Vintage Mall, it is a collective of 40+ vendors, so you'll see a broad variety throughout the store, but a distinct personality in each section of the store. Here are just some of the amazing items I spotted: 

This awesome vintage Jessica McClintock wedding gown for $85. 

Look at that detail!

These panda and fox flats. So fun!

They even fit. I may have to go back and retrieve these!

For the local sports enthusiast, a vintage Husky mascot. Collectibles was a big theme at the Mall, ranging from sports memorabilia to military patches, to silver spoons and lunchboxes. 

Now that record players are back in style, you should check out their sizeable record collection. (They also have cassettes and CD's if you are rocking the Walkman.) Most vinyl ranged from $.99-$5 each. 

They had several pieces of this vintage Amish design Pyrex as well as many popular designs of china and crystal. 

And the famous turtle lamps. These same lamps are going for $80 or more new, so $48 is quite the deal on this guy. You know your end table is looking for some style!

Or, if classic is more your style, they had multiple Tiffany-style lamps, including this one with built in porcelain sculpture. 

While I'm kicking myself a bit for not bringing home the cute fox shoes, I did bring one item home: this sassy lady fabric. It was a section of over 4 yards for $16, which is a pretty decent price (about the price of the cheapest cotton fabric at Walmart and 50% less than the cheapest at Joann's). 

So, if you're looking to break out of the rut at your regular thrift shops, head on over to a vintage shop, on you may find some unique finds, or even that piece to complete your collection. If you're looking for the Fremont Vintage Mall specifically, it's in the heart of the Fremont shopping district, but keep your eyes open; it's in the basement level, so you're looking for a door that takes you downstairs vs. a storefront. Happy shopping!