Vintage Warehouse Sale Shopping Experience

Through one of my friends in the local resale community, I recently heard about a vintage warehouse sale and was immediately intrigued. My love of vintage (late 80s through early 00s, specifically) has grown a lot lately, and it’s nice to find new places to indulge my obsession. The thrifts are not bad, of course, but you have to sift through a lot of fast fashion and mall brands to find those vintage gems. The prospect of shopping at a vintage-only place was very attractive.

For Edmonton peeps, the warehouse sale is hosted by @97st.vintage (their handle on IG) once or twice a month at their southside location. It is a literal warehouse, so do not expect a curated or fancy shopping experience. There are large bins of clothing where each item is $5, as well as racks of stuff that is individually priced (mostly around $10-$30, although there are higher ticket items too). The bin experience was somewhat reminiscent to me of the Goodwill Impact centre, albeit much friendlier and less hectic. The warehouse isn’t very large, and they do have capacity limits, but there was a small crowd there when I shopped. However, everyone was nice and helpful — I got to talking to a few others who were digging through the same bins as me, and we even swapped some items and helped each other make decisions about pieces.

I would say that, based on what I saw during my visit, it’s worthwhile to go if you are on the smaller side, sizing wise (most skirts, for example, were too small for me and I wear size 4/6 in modern sizing), and if you like vintage styles from the 70s and onwards. There were some older pieces (40s and 50s), but they were mostly individually priced and more expensive.

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience despite being initially nervous about it (as I prefer to shop alone, without large crowds around), and I managed to score some great things. Wanna see?

Of course you do.

This vintage Eddie Bauer sweater was the only off-the-rack item I bought. It was $15, which is a good deal as it’s selling online for $50 and up. It’s giving me Jessica Fletcher vibes and I can’t wait to wear it this fall.

Okay, I know this vintage Tabi sweater has a similar vibe but I couldn’t resist it for $5. Plus, it’s a turtleneck, which is totally different.

This is a vintage TeenFlo corduroy skirt immediately caught my eye because it’s a style I adore. Plus, the colour is dreamy. I quickly tried it on over my clothes (there are no changing rooms) and realized that it was a very, very, very snug fit. I almost put it back … and then I have a brainwave. I will show you how I plan to wear it soon.

This Erika midi dress is such a sweet little piece – perfect to throw on for walks in the neighbourhood or even some gardening, when I want a little colourful pick-me-up.

I was kinda on the fence about this Jones New York shirt; the fabric is a heavy rayon, and I wasn’t sure how wearable it would be. However, I really liked the pattern and thought it had potential for fall outfits. For $5, I decided to take the risk.

The warehouse inventory is regularly replenished, so I am making plans to go to another sale in a month or two. Here’s hoping that some vintage RL pieces might find their way there soon.