Where to Shop: Teleport Vintage + Co.

Erick Doxey

Just north of the downtown Spokane core is Teleport Vintage + Co., where the racks are always overflowing with pieces to suit every taste, budget and season thanks to the 10 or so local vendors who contribute to the shop's curated inventory. To keep shoppers hydrated while perusing the goods — which may take awhile — Teleport also has a well-stocked beer fridge (with seltzer and cider, too) for those of age.

Since opening in spring 2021, Teleport has become a fixture of the local vintage scene, while also catching the attention of many out-of-towners. Being located near the Spokane Arena, touring musicians occasionally stop by looking for unique threads, as well as other tourists who've told owner Paul Forster that the shop reminds them of a hip vintage store out of New York City's SoHo district — the ultimate compliment. Vintage dealers all the way from Japan also come to Teleport to stock their shops with coveted Americana fashion, as I saw firsthand on a recent Thursday afternoon while there to chat with Forster.

Later this year, Forster plans to expand the shop's footprint into the historic brick building's basement. While plans for that space are still in the works, he's considering options like a larger bar area and adding a modern thrifted clothing section. In the meantime, now that summer weather has arrived, Teleport's garage door is sure to be open, with the beats thumping and the looks coming in hot.

Erick Doxey

MORE TO CHECK OUT

COLLECTIVE THREADZ
719 W. Garland Ave., Spokane; Instagram: @collectivethreadzvintage

Debuting in the Garland District last fall, Collective Threadz' name is a nod to the fact that numerous local vintage vendors help stock its racks with T-shirts, denim, flannel button-ups and more. While much of the shop's inventory is clothing from the 1980s, '90s and early 2000s — eras that remain ultra popular among the Gen Z crowd — its inventory spans all decades and styles, including collectible band Ts, 20th century military-issue uniform pieces and worn-in workwear. Owners Grant Quine and Tyees Cardwell both sell their own finds at Collective Threadz alongside local vendors including Time Machine Workshop, Bee's Vintage and Redux Vintage.

CHOSEN VINTAGE
7 W. Main Ave., Spokane; Instagram: @chosenvintage509

As soon as you step inside the entry of Chosen Vintage, there are clothes everywhere. Of all the vintage shops in town, this spot can be a little visually overwhelming at times, with garments literally hanging from the ceiling and racks of clothing tucked in every nook and cranny. But for those who enjoy the thrill of finding a totally unique, special piece for their wardrobe, many hours could be spent flipping through hangers if you want to be thorough. And just when you think you've seen it all, another nook or hallway branches off to even more clothing. More than a dozen vendors team up to fill this historic brick building with threads of the past, each specializing in an era or aesthetic that caters to a wide array of fashion sensibilities.

BOULEVARD MERCANTILE
1012 N. Washington St., Spokane; Instagram: @boulevardmercantile

While this popular spot stocks much more than clothing — like an always-rotating array of collector-quality mid-century furniture — Boulevard Mercantile is an outpost for several of the Inland Northwest's vintage fashion powerhouses: Red Leaf Vintage, Evening Star Vintage, Vagabond Soundtrack, Worn Culture and several others. In fact, nearly all of its dozen-plus vendors have some part of their space devoted to retro threads, with a range of eras and price points to choose from. Boulevard consistently wins the hearts of Inlander readers, too, taking home the No. 1 spot in our 2023 Best Of Readers Poll (as well as prior years' wins) for both Best Vintage Clothing and Best Vintage Home Decor & Furniture.