Upcycle Vintage

Somewhere between thrift and antiques, junk becomes treasure

By Ellen Hiatt

iving somewhere between a thrift store and an antique store is “vintage shopping.” Whether you find yourself at a garage sale, where someone’s trash is your treasure, or downtown Monroe, where the little shops with rarefied pieces live, waiting to be found, or in the spacious Evergreen State Fair Park where, twice a year, The Great Junk Hunt draws thousands — Monroe has something for you.

Local vintage stores and vendors provide aisles of memories made and yet to be made. Some of them can be found with their own stall at The Great Junk Hunt, as well, putting their own spin on things.

Among the local venues, an event-based market, Pickin’ @ The Barn (pickinatthebarn.com) puts a new spin on the “junk hunt,” combining an artisan market, a vintage and antique fair, food vendors, live entertainment, and music. Up next is the Hallelujah for the Holidays, “like a moment out of a Hallmark movie.” Stay tuned for an early spring event in April 2023. There’s always something to find at the barn.

Considered by a few reviewers (OK, more than a few!), as the best place to go vintage shopping in the region, Black Barrel Vintage Co. (blackbarrelvintageco.com) is tastefully displayed and decidedly uncluttered, yet full of great vintage finds. A mix of vintage and new, even soy candles, clothing, and handcrafted soaps, the store features goods from multiple vendors. On your way out of Black Barrel stop next door at Las Tres Marias for some of their homemade tamales, sample some charcuterie at The Box and Board, or stop in for a beer at Good Brewing. Junking on Main Street in Monroe is all kinds of fun!

Another popular destination on a corner of Monroe’s Main Street, you’ll find one-of-a-kind items at M&M Antiques (fb.com/MMAntiques). Inventory turns over quickly at M&M, so customers, including Seattle interior designers, return again and again to see what the latest find is from the many vendors. The stand-out difference here is a tendency to stock high-quality and unique vintage and antique pieces, versus shabby chic-style reproductions.

A “local treasure” to vintage shoppers, Cobweb Antiques (tinyurl.com/3et47xx9) has a barn off Yeager Road that’s big enough to hold “everything,” and it does! If it doesn’t have exactly what you want, the owners will go on a hunt until they find it. How else would Monroe store owners stock their shelves with so many great finds if they didn’t love junking themselves?! Spindle-back dining chairs hang from the barn rafters and old trunks tell of time past, next to dolls, jewelry, silver, quilts, and linens.

Linda Albers is creator and owner of The Great Junk Hunt (thegreatjunkhunt.com), an event that comes to the Evergreen State Fair Park (evergreenfair.org) twice a year: Friday, Feb. 3, 2023 and Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023 and again in November.

“They love it in Monroe,” Albers said. She began her own love affair with vintage when she was a store owner. But it left her little time to do what she really loved – going “junking.” So, she started the Great Junk Hunt first in Puyallup, then, about seven years ago, opened it in Monroe. She now has events all over the nation.

The 60,000 square feet of space at Evergreen State Fair Park is filled corner to corner in early February, and again in the fall, with junk of all kinds. It’s a fullon party with cocktails and live music. It’s a big deal here. Albers tried to conjure a solid number for visitors.

“It’s thousands upon thousands,” she said. “Maybe 10,000 people come to the Monroe event. There’s a lot of people that like junk. It pulls you into your childhood to reminisce. And then you get to find very cool ways to use old stuff in your home.”

Antique sales have fallen dramatically over the past few years, following a trend toward more modern, light-filled rooms – big on minimalism and a lot of throw pillows and short on dark and heavy furniture. But that doesn’t mean people don’t still enjoy old things. It takes a little more creativity, though, to use what Albers lovingly calls “junk” to create a bright and welcoming home with a more modern vibe.

“I think things come around again,” she said. “Right now, there’s a new trend called granny chic. Upcycling has been around. People want to keep things out of the landfill. They find different ways to re-use it. You will take something that maybe somebody used in their kitchen and now you are using it in your bathroom as a hook on your wall for a robe. It’s been a trend for a while. People want to leave less of a carbon footprint.”

And there is the thrill of the hunt. “We are kind of all inclusive. I wouldn’t put it past any of my vendors, or myself – I have done this myself – I have dug through dumpsters myself because I saw something peeking out of it. So free is even better, I guess!”

Dumpster diving may be the cheapest junk hunt, but in Monroe — from reliable vintage stores to seasonal events — there are plenty of options to satisfy the thrill of the hunt.