Valenti said that Flower Child Vintage isn’t like other antique and thrift stores in Columbus in that it focuses primarily on the higher end of vintage buying and thrifting. Credit: Chloe McGowan | Lantern Reporter
A handful of popular TikToks gave Flower Child Vintage, a local department store specializing in high-end vintage items, free advertising during the pandemic.
Flower Child Vintage isn’t just another “TikTok made me do it” experience. The vintage co-op store has been a part of the Columbus community for the past 12 years, Joe Valenti, store owner, said. Located at 233 E. Fifth Ave., the store is approximately 33,000 square feet and home to 18 vendors who said a visitor’s TikTok tour and description of the facility that went viral last June has been great for business.
“We were fortunate to have a TikTok video that got 2.6 million views over the summer,” Valenti said. “We had people from Wyoming, Arizona and LA that came in. We even had people from Taipei.”
Valenti first opened up Flower Child Vintage in Cleveland in 1999 after his love of vintage clothing and furniture turned into a small side business. Valenti opened the first Columbus location in 2009 on High Street in the Short North but moved to a bigger space in the Italian Village two years ago.
Now, the store is experiencing another boom in business after a second TikTok, which highlighted the store in a similar style as the first viral video, blew up on Feb. 21, 2021.
Valenti said Flower Child Vintage isn’t like other antique and thrift stores in Columbus because it focuses primarily on the higher end of vintage buying and thrifting. It’s all hand-selected right down to the tag, he said.
In addition to procuring high-end vintage items, Flower Child Vintage specializes in upcycling and sustainable fashion. Valenti said the store carries everything from bras to toasters from as early as 1940 to the early ’90s.
“I kind of consider us like the Disneyland of vintage, because when you come in, it’s unexpected what you’re going to see,” Valenti said. “It’s constantly changing.”
Valenti said each vendor and employee at Flower Child Vintage is unique and brings different knowledge of specific areas of vintage fashion or items to the store.
Ciera Couch, an employee and vendor at Flower Child Vintage, specializes in couture and high-end fashion. Couch said she helps Valenti set up all the elaborate displays and merchandising in addition to managing her own space dedicated to ’80s and ’90s fashion.
“I think that the high standards that we’ve set into place kind of sets us apart from thrift stores or antique shops,” Couch said. “Anything that’s got like a small rip or tear does not come in the store. If it’s not in pristine condition, we don’t want to deal with it.”
Tami Bentley, an employee and vendor who specializes in ’80s fashion, is in the process of upcycling old afghans and Levi’s jeans into tube tops.
“See, I graduated in 1980. I love to sell jeans, the real high-waisted ’80s jeans,” Bentley said. “I like the neon sweat suits and tracksuits; I just seem to gravitate to that.”
Like many businesses, Bentley said Flower Child Vintage closed back in March 2020 due to the pandemic. She said business was slow when they reopened, but the viral TikTok videos helped them out tremendously.
“We haven’t done any advertising. All our business has been word-of-mouth,” Couch said. “As far as social media goes, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook have been a huge help.”
Valenti, Couch and Bentley all said they’re glad to see so many people getting on board with vintage fashion and discovering Flower Child Vintage within the past year.
“When you walk in, you’ve got the music going, and it’s calming,” Bentley said. “Everybody’s got their own little things they shop for, and it’s a great place for a first date.”
Not only are the pieces and clothing in the store conversation-starters, Valenti said, but the store is a great place to hang out and learn about things from the past.
“We’re a safe space,” Couch said, “Even with the pandemic, if people are bored and need to get out of the house, it’s something to do for a few hours.”
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that the Columbus location opened in 2012. This is not correct. The store opened in 2009. The story has been updated.
