Socialmediagivesvintagesellersabilitytoreach customersworldwide

By Laura Butterbrodt lbutterbrodt@duluthnews.com

Duluth vintage sellers have a perspective not everyone shares: The COVID-19 pandemic has been great for their businesses. Instagram has become the premier selling platform for many vintage businesses in Duluth, including Christina Livadaros, owner of Voula Vintage.

Livadaros started her business in 2019 and decided to nix a brick-and-mortar booth once the pandemic hit so she could sell without fear of business restrictions due to the virus.

“I think people are wearing pajamas more, but are also more interested in what they will get to wear at one point,” Livadaros said.

Thanks to social media, she’s resold vintage clothing not just to customers in northern Minnesota, but all over the world.

“The algorithm has been kind to me,” Livadaros said. “I get little pockets of people because that’s how the internet seems to work. My reviews are people wearing the clothes and taking a picture and showing their friends that they like what they got from me. If their friends see it and they all live in New York, then I get a New York following.”

Online, vintage sellers share photos and measurements of their products. Most sales happen by commenting to claim an item and exchanging over apps like Venmo. Other selling platforms, like Etsy, Depop or Shopify, are also popular for vintage items. Some vintage sellers have small booths in stores and have pop-up shops at various businesses and conventions.

Amanda Belcher, who has operated Spirit Valley Vintage since 2014, was content with her clothes being sold from a rack in Spirit Valley neighborhood’s Annex Novelty Shop, but she saw that the vintage market was expanding online. Now she can sell to anyone, anywhere from Instagram — and in 2020, she saw interest in vintage really pick up.

“I think over the last year it’s really kind of exploded,” Belcher said. “I’ve even seen a change in the places I used to thrift. Now they’re kind of cutting out the people that flip clothes and increasing their prices.”

A NEW LIFE : Page 13

At Johnson Carpet One Floor & Home, we know how important it is for you to feel confident in your flooring selection. Therefore, we strive to ensure that the floor we’ve created together, is as beautiful as the one in your dreams. If not, we’ll replace it for free. That’s what we call The Beautiful Guarantee®.

Voted Best Flooring for 4 years in a row!