A new curated vintage clothing store is bringing the style and aesthetic of the ‘80s, ‘90s and Y2K to Over-the-Rhine.
Vine Street Vintage opened at 1511 Vine St. on Nov. 15. The shop is the second brick-and-mortar resale operation from duo James Leach and Jackson Baltes, who also own 502 Thrifts in Louisville.
“I feel like clothing nowadays, like fast fashion, is just a huge problem, and it’s not made very well,” Leach told CityBeat. “These T-shirts have just held up over the years very, very well, and they all have really interesting styles. And I really like just providing clothing that people can enjoy a bit more than just the standard thing that everyone else has, because each piece is pretty unique at this point.”
Leach got into the resale business in high school, saying he always really liked vintage style, and his friends’ interest in vintage clothing helped spark his own. He thrifted enough clothes to start doing the pop-up Flea Off Markets in Louisville, and in March 2024, when he was just a senior in high school, he and Baltes opened 502 Thrifts.
“We were just like, let’s just get into it, man. I mean, we do this all day anyway,” Leach said.
The quick success of 502 Thrifts led Leach and Baltes to expand. Leach says Cincinnati drew their interest as they had spent a lot of time in the city and noticed that, in Over-the-Rhine, while Findlay Market and Main Street already offered thrift and vintage stores, Vine Street had none.
The storefront on Vine Street is also significantly larger. While the sales floor at 502 Thrifts is about 500 square feet, Vine Street Vintage offers 1,400 square feet and a wider selection of accessories, including purses, tote bags and satchels, as well as belts and belt buckles. Leach also wants to add rings, necklaces and sunglasses to the inventory.
“We also have a lounge area at Vine Street for anyone who’s shopping and just wants to pop a squat. We got a couch in the back with some old-school video games hooked up so, if people aren’t shopping, they can come in, just chill, just enjoy the vibe,” Leach said.
The clothing is mainly focused on Y2K and earlier decades, but Leach says they get in items from all decades.
“Jacket-wise, we get in a lot of Carhartts. We get in a lot of Harley-Davidson jackets. … We get in a lot of Starter sports puffer jackets,” he said. “We do have a lot of Harley-Davidson stuff all over the store … A lot of Hard Rock Cafes, as well. Looney Tunes stuff. We have a bunch of NASCAR items.”
Vine Street Vintage is buy-sell, so you can bring in your vintage or thrifted items and receive money or in-store credit if it’s accepted.
While Cincinnati is home to a number of vintage and thrift stores, what makes Vine Street Vintage unique, Leach says, is its keeping thrifting affordable to everyone. The store has a $10 rack and $5 bucket and will sometimes put out items for free.
“Vintage has seen a huge spike in popularity in the past couple years, and, honestly, it just keeps on growing. So, I feel like a lot of vintage shops, they take advantage of that a bit and overprice items that they get for a very fraction of the cost. I feel like we’re a lot different in the sense of where we try and keep everything affordable,” said Leach. “There’s a price point for everyone at our stores.”
Leach says they also work hard to have items in the store that can fit anyone’s style — things like fur and suede coats and neon ‘80s windbreakers.
“Stuff that isn’t necessarily the most popular, but if there is someone that wants that type of item, they can come here.”
Overall, Leach says he wants the store to be a fun and welcoming place.
“I want [customers] to feel like they can ask whoever’s working the store that day any questions, or even if they need help styling, if they’re trying to get out of their comfort shell. I want them to be able to come to our store and find something that fits them.
Vine Street Vintage is open Monday through Friday from noon to 8 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can learn more by visiting their social media, @vinestreetvtg on Instagram.
