Ridgefield trio blends styles into new vintage shop
RIDGEFIELD — A trio of local entrepreneurs combined their thrift shop expertise to bring vintage wares back to Route 7.
Amy Goodwin of Always in Bloom, Kelly Magner of Tiques & More and Lana Waldron-Taubin of Seasonal Celebrations by Lana collaborated to open the doors at Vixen Hill Vintage in October.
“Back in the day, Route 7 was known for its vintage and antiques,” Waldron-Taubin said.
“This barn used to be the home of an antique shop,” she said, referring to the building that houses Vixen Hill Vintage. “So it’s nice to have brought this area back to life. … People remember it, and it feels nostalgic for them.”
Customers can peruse the curated selection of clothing, jewelry, purses, tea sets, dishware, children’s books and toys, vintage records, seasonal decorative items and more. When searching for items to sell, they find items that fit each other’s styles, Magner said.
Goodwin said she gravitates toward flowers, jewelry, home items and merchandise with a “kitschy” vibe. She said she was a teacher and curriculum specialist in Boston before moving to Ridgefield, where she started making jewelry from vintage pieces. Goodwin held shows at her friends’ homes before moving on to pop-up shows and buying a vintage caravan to hold her art shows.
Magner, a Wilton resident and a second-grade teacher at MillerDriscoll School, said she favors earthy tones; nostalgic pieces; wood, wicker, brass and ceramic pieces; vintage pottery; and items with a vintage farmhouse vibe. She said she started doing pop-up sales over the summer for Tiques & More and was happy to open “a little brick and mortar” with Goodwin and Waldron-Taubin.
Waldron-Taubin, a Wilton resident and a personal trainer for the last 37 years, said she’s new to “the vintage game” and loves all things pink, blue and green and sticks to seasonal items. Her niche is vintage tablescapes and mixing and matching seasonal items for home décor, entertaining and holiday gatherings, she said.
The three women, all moms, said they were brought together by another female entrepreneur: Dana Bucci of the consignment store Bluebird Estate Sales, located at 346 Ethan Allen Highway.
Waldron-Taupin said she met Bucci through a mutual friend and said they connected over their shared interest in vintage items.
Bucci then connected her to Goodwin, Waldron-Taupin said.
Magner said she met WaldronTaupin while at a tag sale in Norwalk. Goodwin said she knew Bucci through their children, who attend Ridgefield Public Schools.
“She is truly the one who brought us all together on this fun venture,” Goodwin said of Bucci.
“We all wanted to do it — we didn’t know it yet, but we all wanted to have a shop to call our own, a place we can set up all our treasures,” Magner said. “We realized, ‘Wow, this is a really great opportunity to not only share the space but share the time and commitment’.”
Magner and Waldron-Taupin said there’s a couple vintage stores in Wilton, while Goodwin said Ridgefield has about the same.
“There used to be a strip of vintage stores where people went to thrift” in the area, Goodwin said, adding there’s been “a bit of a resurgence.”
“It’s becoming more popular to repurpose vintage items,” Magner said.
Goodwin said she, Magner and Waldron-Taupin are making Vixen Vintage Hill into a shopping destination by hosting events, food trucks, fire pits, live music and pop-up shops — all in collaboration with Bucci and Bluebird Estates — and creating a collective of women entrepreneurs.
The property at 346 Ethan Allen Highway once housed Ridgefield Vintage, which opened Black Friday weekend and sold menswear, womenswear, children’s clothing, accessories and other gifts during the holiday season. Ridgefield Vintage closed for the winter and will look for a new location in Ridgefield in the spring or fall.
Ridgefield Vintage owner Charles Moschos said the landlord rented the space to an outdoor and garden art business expected to open this spring.