New vintage shop featuring local pop-ups comes to Tacoma’s Antique Row
Looking through the street-level windows on the corner of Broadway and South 7th Street in downtown Tacoma, you’ll spot a new clothing store at 702 Broadway, the former location of Sunny’s plant store.
Shop Conmigo offers vintage sweaters, snapbacks, jerseys, shoes and T-shirts mixed with more modern flare pieces. Upon a visit Friday, we thumbed through a half-dozen clothing racks organized in rainbow colors and admired a small collection of unique glass bowls, vases and stemware.
Shop co-owner Alexis Manzanares said she and her boyfriend/co-owner Chris Tyler have been selling clothes at vintage markets for the past few years in the Seattle and Tacoma area. Previously the shop was called Pacific Northwest Vintage, but it recently has evolved to include more fun fashionable pieces and a “focus on making it feel like it’s luxury, but at an affordable price point,” she said.
“We rebranded this year to Shop Conmigo, which means ‘Shop with me’ in Spanish,” Manzanares said. “We just wanted that to include things outside of true vintage and some more modern pieces. We’re [also] going to be doing a lot of pop-ups with local businesses in the community … we really just want to be a space that the community can come in [and] help grow each other’s business.”
The first pop-up since the shop opened in August is this Friday the 13th. Seattle-based artist @Artfully.Adria will be doing $69 spooky flash tattoos. Also there Friday will be vintage clothing from @Thiccboi_Thrift, handmade ceramics from @Alga.Arts and more clothing from @Chvriot.Shop.
Manzanares said it’s been cool to generate space for other small businesses, especially those owned by Black, Indigenous and people of color. She is the first in her family to open a business, which has come with a lot of learning opportunities, Manzanares said.
“I haven’t seen a ton of new BIPOC businesses opening. I’m half Mexican and half Tongan and I don’t see a lot of those businesses, especially popping up in this area,” she said. “So I think being able to create space for other businesses like me … I’m kind of trying to help branch out representation in the community.”
As someone who grew up in Tacoma, Manzanares said, she’s very excited to now be a local business owner “and put my stamp here.”
At her day job Manzanares works in merchandising and buying for Nordstrom, which she said has helped her learn the trade and build connections. For the shop Manzanares and Tyler source clothing from yard sales, wholesale and thrifting finds they purchase when traveling, she said.
“As me and my partner are shopping, we’ll just kind of [see], is it something we would wear or we would like? Because if not, then we probably don’t want to source it,” Manzanares said. “We want our business to be a reflection of the things that we like and appreciate.”
Growing up with a single mother, Manzanares said money was tight and her family had to get creative with “making our house look nice” and “having fun with fashion.”
Manzanares said she remembers being given $20 or $10 to get whatever she wanted when they’d go thrift shopping and would look forward to coming back together to compare all their finds.
“My mom used to go thrifting with us, and she still does,” said Manzanares, adding they also hit yard sales on weekends. “I’ve always been a bargain value shopper.”
Manzanares said prices for a vintage shirt or sweatshirt can range from $10-$40, usually below the online asking price. Some of the leather pieces in the shop can go for $70-$80, as compared to $100 online, she said.
Starting next year, Manzanares said, Shop Conmigo plans to have longer hours and be open more days of the week. The duo still plan to sell goods at local markets in the area.
If you go
Address: 702 Broadway #701, Tacoma, WA 98402
Hours: Friday-Sunday noon to 6 p.m.
Instagram: @shopconmigoo
