Vintage Vogue: Downtown store offers clothing from the past

La Crosse Tribune, Feb 24, 2003 by Cahalan, Steve

Megan Schmitt stops at Vintage Vogue at 115 Fifth Ave. S. every couple weeks to shop for clothes or accessories from the past.

"This week I bought a pair of shoes from the 1970s," Schmitt said last week. She also planned to buy a 1930s woman's hat that she had seen on her previous visit. "But somebody nabbed it before I got there," she said.

Schmitt, 20, likes to buy vintage clothing and accessories "just to wear. It seems like you find more unique outfits, mixing and matching things" from different eras, she said.

"Her stock changes week by week, so I don't get bored looking at the same old thing," Schmitt said of Vintage Vogue and its owner, Toni Parish.

The downtown store specializes in clothing and accessories from about 1900 to the 1970s.

Parish and Becea Harvey started the business in 1989 on Market Street, near 17th Street, and moved it to the downtown location seven years ago. Parish has been sole owner since she purchased Harvey's interest in the business four years ago.

Her husband, Greg Parish, works for Reinhart Foods. They have four children, including two daughters who worked in the store part time when they were younger. Parish still has two part-time employees.

Parish said she started the store "knowing I wanted to own my own business and one I could start without making a big investment. It has evolved into a very popular business in downtown La Crosse."

When the business began, Parish and Harvey bought items at estate sales in the La Crosse area. But they only did that for

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"Once our name was out there, people brought things to us," Parish said. "If people are cleaning out an attic or settling an estate, they may bring things here. We're kind of a-local service for them. They've hung onto things for so many years. This is a nice home for those things, and people know it's going to be showcased in here." She buys her merchandise by appointment.

Parish owns about half of the store's inventory, and she sells the other half on consignment. Vintage Vogue's clothing and accessories comes in such styles as Victorian, Roaring '20s, Big Band Era, 1950s (such as poodle skirts and jitterbug clothing), 1960s and 1970s Retro.

Parish said customers include "veryone from a grandma who wants to reminisce to a high school or college student who wants something fun and unique." Most customers plan to wear what they buy, she said.

"A lot of collectors also shop here," Parish said. "They will come to town and shop for particular things."

Most of the store's customers live within 100 miles of La Crosse, but some come from as far away as Minneapolis and Chicago.

Some of the merchandise on display last week included a coonskin cap, military uniforms from World Wars I and II, Wild West clothing, colorful scarves, hats, purses, gloves, ties, footwear, jewelry, linens, formal wear and large selections of dresses, pants and shirts. The store also sells vintage postcards.

Parish also sells and rents vintage costumes to customers who may be planning to attend parties or themed events, or to portray characters in plays. Costume -rentals comprise about 10 percent of the store's sales.

"It's arranged somewhat by decade," Parish said of the store's inventory. "You can come in and walk through time."

Music from the past plays in the background while customers shop.

"It might be Glenn Miller or Elvis or 'Saturday Night Fever,' " Parish said, as her sound system played a recording by Glenn Miller's band.

Parish said she enjoys selling quality clothing and accessories from the past partly because, "The clothing back then had so much detailing done to it. And the craftsmanship is better than today's clothing. The fabric is better quality." And she enjoys visiting with customers, adding, "A woman who just left the store told me 'Don't ever go out of business.' "

Parish also enjoys being part of historic downtown La Crosse. "Because that's what my business is - it's history," she said.