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Milwaukee beats Chicago and Los Angeles when it comes to vintage shopping | Opinion

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6 months ago

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Milwaukee beats Chicago and Los Angeles when it comes to vintage shopping | Opinion

The Memorial Day weekend is a perfect time to explore all Milwaukee has to offer

Zoe Takaki
 |  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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Milwaukee has amazing vintage shopping, better and more affordable than Los Angeles or Chicago, something I can say with confidence after living in all three cities.

During my spare time as an Ideas Lab intern (and vintage clothing lover), I’ve had a great time exploring the city and seeing the quality, variety, and accessibility the city has to offer.

Milwaukee has tons of vintage clothing stores, all with their own flare in aesthetic and merchandise. These stores are scattered beautifully across the city, making vintage shopping accessible no matter where you live.

You could spend an afternoon on Bay View’s Kinnickinnic Avenue, walking from vintage store to vintage store, all curated to have one-of-a-kind, quality pieces. Tip Top Atomic Shop is great for wacky, colorful clothes at an affordable cost. Plume offers a huge array of vintage clothing, having three levels to peruse, sending you to vintage shopping heaven! If you’re looking for dresses, Plume is the place to be.

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Downtown Milwaukee also has some gems. Near Brady Street, Sole Salvation has incredible pieces at incredible prices. Down the street, the store Bandit’s merchandise is curated beautifully, having unique items for both men and women. They also have overstock sales all the time, allowing you to get your hands on quality vintage clothing at a cheaper price.

In Milwaukee, people focus on individual styles, not the latest trends

One reason Milwaukee has great vintage shopping is that the clothing hasn’t been picked through like in other cities. Vintage shopping in cities like Los Angeles or New York is hard with so many young people searching for clothing in trending styles, making it competitive and harder to get clothing for yourself. 

However in Milwaukee, people’s clothing tends to focus on individuality as opposed to trending styles. This leads to greater diversity amongst styles in vintage clothing stores, and allows for a greater chance of you finding that perfect piece that matches your aesthetic.

Vintage shopping here is also affordable, especially when compared to other cities. With Milwaukee’s cost of living being cheaper than cities like Chicago or Los Angeles, and with vintage clothing being less sought after, you don’t have to sell an arm and a leg to buy quality vintage.

Another reason for this city having amazing vintage shopping is people love to appreciate the old in Milwaukee. All of the workers and owners of these stores that I have had the pleasure of meeting have a love for vintage clothing and the stories they tell. The effort these curators go through to find these pieces and give them a home goes beyond just a purchase, it’s a passion for many, and you feel it when shopping at these stores. 

More from Zoe Takaki:

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2024 confidence: Former governor and editor leading effort to promote civility, trust in election

Caitlin Clark: NCAA title ratings show why time’s right for women’s sports bar in Milwaukee.

During my time in Milwaukee, I’ve learned about some other surprising things in the city, from the beautiful architecture that I had never seen before to the impressive number of festivals and events taking place. I can’t wait to learn more, probably in my new vintage dress from Sole Salvation.

Zoe Takaki is an intern for the Ideas Lab. She graduated from Columbia College Chicago, where she studied journalism.

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