Nov 30, 2010

Still vintage after all these yearsBy Patrice VnukUWMPost.com

Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee is home to a great selection of vintage gift shops, but none quite like Closet Classics. Located on an unassuming corner on North Avenue, the store is Riverwest’s most open secret. Sam Miller, an employee for the past four years, likes it this way.

“This is not really a shopping district,” Miller said. “The area isn’t as trendy as others on the Eastside.”

In fact, when Closet Classics first relocated to Riverwest from Farwell Avenue in 2001, the street was relatively barren. The community built up around it. With that came the strong customer base the store relies on now.

Founded in 1984 on Milwaukee’s Eastside, Closet Classic’s owner, Susie, was looking to sell an eclectic collection from vintage and estate sales. It catered to a wide array of people looking for an obscure item or two that could not be found anywhere else. By doing so, the shop carved a niche for itself as the best place to get hard-to-find vintage and accessories.

Eventually, Closet Classics had to expand. In 1997, a second store was opened in Shorewood to fit the ever-growing inventory. That location is now occupied by The Establishment hair salon as Closet Classics closed there in 2003.

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