I do a lot of things, but one of my favorite aspects of my occupation is dealing in true vintage and historical relics- whether that’s clothing, home goods, or furniture.
It doesn’t matter where or how I find these items thrift stores, estate sales, Facebook Marketplace, or right from my neighbor’s front porch. To me, the ultimate thrift find is never just about the physical item itself. The find is only truly complete if it comes with its history.
Dealing in vintage gives me an excuse to travel all around Austin and meet people from every imaginable walk of life (and even when I find items online, those virtual connections cross boundaries just as easily!). Beyond buying and selling, these interactions have opened doors for me to build real relationships across our city-sometimes helping pick up or donate items for local families, or connecting with community leaders and founders.
Every item has a lineage, and every trade creates a relationship. Here are a few of my favorite stories behind the things I carry and live with every day:
Meet Ruth: A 3rd-Generation Travel Companion
Item: Mid-century Cowhide & Nappa Leather Purse (est. 1950s)
Origins: Crafted in Mexico and carried through California
This is Ruth. She’s my "new" vintage cowhide purse, made of Genuine Nappa Leather in Mexico around the 1950s.
I received her from a woman named Nora. Nora’s mother—whose name was Ruth—originally owned the purse and passed it down to Nora when Nora turned 35, roughly 35 years ago. Now, it has passed into my hands. That makes me only the third owner of a purse that has spanned three generations of care, and it is still in fantastic pre-owned condition despite natural breakdown in parts of the leather! Holding an item with that kind of intimate maternal lineage makes carrying it feel less like owning an accessory and more like keeping a story alive.
Esther: A Living Room Time Capsule
Item: Mid-Century Modern Sofa (est. 1960s)
Origins: Kansas to Austin
My "new" old couch was given to me by a woman named Esther. This sofa sat in her family home while she was growing up back in Kansas during the 1960s.
Despite being decades old, it is in astonishingly pristine condition. Sitting on it, I'm reminded that I am only the second family in this couch’s long lifetime. It survived childhoods, moves, and changing trends—and now it gets a second chapter in my home.
The Digital Treasure: The Marithé + François Girbaud Belt
Item: French Vintage Black Leather Belt (Marithé et François Girbaud Cuir)
Origins: Made in France via a digital secondhand hunt
Sometimes magic happens when you least expect it online. I was lucky enough to thrift this piece through a digital secondhand platform- and it carries a dual story: the high-fashion legacy of the brand that created it, and its immediate history as my latest vintage find.
Founded in France in 1972 by Marithé Bachellerie and François Girbaud, the label is legendary for pioneering industrial stone-washed denim and heavy, utility-driven '90s streetwear. But while their clothes were often rugged and avant-garde, the duo held a deep reverence for high-end leather craftsmanship, launching dedicated lines like Marithé et François Girbaud Cuir.
Their accessories frequently integrated art-nouveau and whimsical flourishes- like the flowing metallic script, swirling border accents, and colorful cloisonné-style floral motifs on this piece. '90s streetwear is having a massive resurgence today, but wearing a piece crafted with this level of French design heritage feels like holding a piece of fashion history.
Sometimes, magic happens when you least expect it online. I was lucky enough to thrift this piece, which means I found it at an astonishingly affordable price for what she is. Finding a genuine piece of history through a screen- and taking the time to message back and forth with the seller- proves that community isn't limited by geography.
The Takeaway: Why I Do What I Do
So, what’s my point in sharing all of this?
When we buy fast, mass-produced items, we get objects without souls. But when we choose vintage, we aren't just decorating a room or putting together an outfit- we are becoming stewards of human memory.
The best part of my job isn't the thrill of the hunt or the aesthetic of an old piece. It’s the realization that items are bridge-builders. Behind every piece of leather, every piece of carved wood, and every thrifted buckle is a mother, a childhood memory, a long road trip, or a new friendship right here in Austin.
I love what I do because it lets me give back, keep history out of landfills, and constantly remind myself that we are all connected by the things we leave behind- and the stories we choose to carry forward.