One vintage shop in Milford looks a little different than your usual store.
Vacant Decade, owned by Chase Leonard and Sammi Skurow, sells plants alongside racks of old clothing at 204 Main Street. Inside the store, you’ll find everything from NASCAR jackets to 10-foot-tall trees.
“I kinda got sick of working for other people … I’ve been doing vintage pop-ups around the city the last five years, and I’ve been screen printing that long too. I decided about a year and a half ago that I wanted to pursue having my own shop,” Leonard said. “Every day, I drove through Milford on the way to work, and it reminded me of Yellow Springs with how it’s a cozy, welcoming and chill environment. I fell in love with the downtown area, and thought, ‘you know, this would be a perfect spot.'”
His partner Skurow has a degree in horticulture and worked at various plant shops around the city, like Gia and the Blooms in Over-the-Rhine. Retail fashion also runs in Skurow’s blood; her grandparents founded and operated the Cincinnati based women’s clothing brand, Petite Sophisticate. Leonard decided to combine their two passions into one storefront to give them a unique business unlike anything in the area.
“I think plants are a really fun hobby that anyone can get into. It gives me a sense of peace taking care of them. I love watching them grow and just having a little moment of joy when you see a new leaf pop up and know that you had a little success there,” Skurow said. “And plants and fashion go hand in hand with showing off your personality … No matter the style, I’ve always appreciated the creativity and intention that goes into crafting a great outfit or chic living space.”
Located just across the street from Spiral Groove Records and a few steps away from The Governor, the shop is smack-dab in the heart of Milford, which means plenty of opportunity. These days, the shop sees a lot of younger people come in asking for anything from henley tees to Y2K fashion to racing attire to 80s classics.
“We have some really hot selling items, so restocking that can be a struggle. It’s a good challenge to keep up with. It keeps us going, and it makes us hunt more because we really like to self-source, curate and hand-pick all the items we have ourselves,” Leonard said. “So we’re constantly thrifting and trying to recover, you know, because it’s all one of a kind items. You’re not going to find the same thing twice.”
In the future, the two plan to host live events in their shop, like local art shows. But for now, they just want people to come by and experience everything in the neighborhood.
“We’re right next to the Little Miami River and bike trails… People can come enjoy a cool and welcoming environment after biking or kayaking. Get a little bit of nature in and enhance their personal aesthetics on the same block,” Skurow said. “We think we add something a little different to the community. I think all the shops around us together kind of make Milford a little bit of a destination. We’d love for people that aren’t down here a lot to come and appreciate what Milford has to offer and what the shop has to offer.”
For more information, visit the shop’s official Instagram page.
