What’s Good for the Planet is Good for the Wallet
What’s Good for the Planet is Good for the Wallet
Good for the planet, better for your wallet: Snohomish County’s vintage circuit delivers slow-fashion gems and solid-wood steals. Begin in Downtown Snohomish’s five-floor Star Center Mall (200+ dealers), then hit Everett’s Hot Rod Heidi’s and The Attic, and Edmonds’ Pear Tree for up to 80% off luxe labels. Result: character, durability—and zero fast-fashion guilt.
A vintage shopping guide to Snohomish County
by Richard Porter for Discover Snohomish County
Anyone who’s been around for more than a couple of decades knows what’s old is new again, and what’s new will soon be outdated. Media cycles, generational gaps, and changing fashions conspire to make the world a very topsy-turvy place – a place where, improbably, cargo pants are suddenly a completely appropriate thing to wear in public. This point is driven home to me almost daily, as my kids tell me their love of platform shoes, bucket hats, and how they think of the White Stripes and Gorillaz as “classic rock.”
Cool. I’m super okay with that.
Yes, trends in fashion and pop culture repeat in cycles that grow quicker as I mature. Yet one thing that seems to be here to stay is the modern taste for vintage clothing and housewares.
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There’s also a little thing called “the planet” to consider. I don’t need to tell you about the mounting environmental toll created by dyeing clothes, spinning artificial fibers out of plastics, and literally burning piles of yesterday’s fast fashion.
When it comes to fashion, Snohomish County may not be Paris or Milan, but that’s what gives it an advantage in the vintage game. Estate sales, antique stores, yard sales, and good old thrift shops can yield some fantastic, non-picked-over gems for those shoppers who don’t mind diving into the racks looking for their next statement piece.
Let’s take a look at your best bets for finding clothing and furniture items that are good for your wardrobe, home, and good old Mother Earth.
Heck, you might even impress your kids with that distressed denim jacket.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and searching for secondhand treasures is more than just a pirate’s pastime.
Antiquers come from near and far to gander, graze, and cut deals in a place officially known as the “Antique Capital of the Northwest.”
Downtown Snohomish is home to hundreds of antique dealers at numerous shop locations. There’s the Antique Station at Victoria Village, Antique Warehouse, and Star Center Mall, to start. Each of these antique malls is filled with dozens of vendor booths which have a theme: sports memorabilia, Midcentury Modern tables, army gear, impressionistic paintings, Art Deco lamps, or taxidermy. You get the idea. The Star Center Mall (829 2nd St) alone is a five-floor complex with over two hundred dealers selling art glass, vintage toys, estate jewelry, and collectibles.
Downtown Snohomish’s Main Street is lined with even more small boutiques and antique stores. One could literally spend a full day in this small brick riverside downtown and not explore all of the offerings distributed throughout this treasure hunt of a city.
After shopping, sit and relax over lunch or dinner at Cabbage Patch Restaurant (2925, 111 Ave A). They play the oldies over the radio, serve up American comfort food and will leave you feeling nostalgic in a historic house-turned-restaurant. Their pie is made from scratch (and allegedly the old Victorian house is home to a resident ghost).
And secondhand treasures may start in Snohomish, but they don’t have to end there. Fifteen minutes east in Monroe, you can find M&M Antiques and Collectibles on Main Street (110 E. Main St. Ste 200) — a trove of reasonably-priced gems. Same with Black Barrel Vintage, which has a more Americana flare with farmhouse decor and country apparel (112 W Main St.).
Next door to Hot Rod Heidi’s is Second Chance Antiques and Furniture, another antiques store offering nostalgic items at low prices. In the back of Second Chance is a staircase leading up to The Attic, which is the real treasure trove of vintage gear: a shop on par with Seattle or Bellingham.
Right on Broadway, you can find Everett’s only used record store, Bargain CDs Records and Tapes (2100 25th St). Get those 45s spinning in style where all the vinyl is always half-priced.
When in Everett, be sure to also visit The Grand Leader (1502 Hewitt Ave), a 100-year-old building that’s been completely remodeled and now offers a carefully curated selection of Mid Mod furniture, upscale housewares and inspired, eclectic finds in great condition.
For those looking for upscale options, you need to head south to Downtown Edmonds to visit The Pear Tree consignment store (315 5th Ave S Ste D). Like the name of her store, owner Christine offers simple, elegant big-name brand clothing, mostly made from organic materials like wool, cotton, and linen. Score Louis Vuitton and Coach bags, Theory and Anthropologie clothes – at up to 80% off retail price. You read that right.
These quality items are perfect examples of slow fashion: well-designed, quality garments that will hold up over time.
Of course, the thrill is in the search for the next thing. Treasure hunting is a good excuse to enjoy the pleasure of dining, walking, and relaxing in the classy vintage cities of Snohomish County.
Restore and reward yourself with adventure and leisure in the heart of the true PNW. You can always find more trip inspiration on our website discoversnoco.com or by following us on social media @discoversnocowa.
Good luck hunting for treasures out there. And let us know what you find, okay?
