Shops / Shop of the Week
Shop of the Week: Bristol Vintage, Old Market
Bristol Vintage uses more a decade of experience to procure, restore and repurpose vintage and second-hand items.
The shop on West Street in Old Market uses the Bristol scroll on its sign above the front door.
Bristol Vintage was established in 2012 and since then the team has acquired and reinstated the characteristic value of countless uniquely historic items.
is needed now More than ever
Vinyl offerings include classics from Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, Neneh Cherry and Kate Bush.
Manager Marta Isabella Reina and shop assistant Sadie Capps are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the store.
Sadie – an avid admirer of the store before being recruited – praised Marta’s refined eye for selecting the particular clothing styles displayed.
“Marta’s style is very 60s mod, reflected in a lot of our clothing items,” said Sadie.
All acquired items are bought by Bristol Vintage before putting them out for display.
Their regular distributors include flea markets, antique fairs and donations from members of the public.
But their offerings are about more than aesthetics. “We try to choose items which are still functional,” Sadie added.
Bristol Vintage also sells on Depop and Ebay.
Other speciality items include handmade Persian rugs (a bestseller), idiosyncratic museum pieces, an array of acoustic and electric guitars, and vinyl records – all of which are in pristine condition.
Sadie also revealed that a “big part of the shop” is renting items to be used as film props.
The shop’s Instagram page advertises their items in luminescent fashion.
Most recently, you can find a post showcasing premium vinyl records from the 70s to 80s, including the likes of Bob Dylan’s At Budokan and Neneh Cherry’s Raw Like Sushi.
“Valuing the past but preserving the future from an anti-consumerist and environmentally conscious perspective” is the store’s mantra, with the only limiting factor for collection being that all items be derived from between 1900-1990.
Aesthetically, the interior and exterior design of the store betokens the ‘retro’ tone of the brand.
In addition, the replete shop floor also elicits the same charmingly classical allure.
Getting Up To Stuff is best known by many for his teddy bear comforting a man near the top of Jacob’s Wells Road
The Bristol Vintage team believe the distinct Bristol characteristic of their store is encapsulated by original sculptures by Getting Up To Stuff displayed on the wall and in the window display.
Two works have been donated directly by the artist, “more than any other store in Bristol,” the owner says.
The value for sustaining their passion for cultural heritage is certainly felt by the entire Bristol Vintage team and community.
“It’s got a timeless thing about it. Little pockets like this are kind of dying out a bit”, Sadie avowed.
“It’s nice to be part of a bubble that isn’t rushing to modernity and attempting to align with any particular vintage fashion trends.”
Bristol Vintage, 15 West Street, Old Market, Bristol, BS2 0DF
www.bristolvintageshop.co.uk
All photos: Kieran Maxted
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