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For Immediate Release: January 24, 2006
Get a Dose of Resale Therapy in Huntington Beach
The Perfect Vintage, Retro and Alternative Shopping Getaway
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. Vintage, consignment, resale. It's all second-hand clothing -- whether it costs 99 cents or $200 -- and it's all the rage right now.
Shopping at small, independent stores for one-of-a-kind clothes or accessories has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years. What was once the domain of penniless students and serious bargain hunters, resale shops today also attract people of all ages and incomes -- people looking for a sweet deal, something distinctive or a shopping alternative that is ecologically responsible.
To get a dose of "resale therapy," come to Huntington Beach, where a Surf City USATM weekend at a luxurious seaside resort can be punctuated with adventuresome outings to the unique boutiques of this Southern California beach town. They sport names like The Tipsy Gypsy and Petticoat Lane and Vintage & Vinyl. They sell everything from turn-of-the-century Boy Scout uniforms to vintage evening gowns, original Elvis Presley records to "antique" surfboards. Whether you're power shopping or just browsing to pass the time, there's something for you on the Huntington Beach indy shop circuit.
Shoppers with limited time who like to bounce from store to store will find the largest concentration of alternative shopping in downtown Huntington Beach along Main Street..
To find that special something from the past, like decorative salt and pepper shakers from the 1920s, stop by M.E. Helme House Furnishing Company. This antiques and collectables store, located in the 100-year-old Helme/Worthy historic site on Walnut off Main Street is listed on the National Register. Vintage hats, coins, jewelry, antique furniture, glassware, furniture and books fill this huge shop that is still owned and operated by the family of Matthew E. Helme, who began the business in 1904 as a place where shoppers could furnish their entire home. Helme played a significant role in the incorporation of the City of Huntington Beach. He owned the first furniture store, served as mayor of Huntington Beach and helped define the city. 517 Walnut Ave., 714-960-1902. Open every day, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Just around the corner on Main Street, you'll find American Vintage, a clothing and collectibles store with everything retro from the 40's through the 80's. Most are authentic items produced decades ago including classic leather jackets, flower-power shirts, slips of all sorts, petticoats, stockings, pins for the lapel, earrings, bracelets, blouses, dresses, eveningwear, jeans and scarves for all ages. The merchandise at American Vintage is suitable for everyday wear or a dress-up event like a costume party or special dance with a period theme. American Vintage, 201 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 Call: (714) 969-9670.
After you whet your appetite for vintage shopping along Main Street, venture out into the rest of the city for some real bargains that not every tourist knows about. Petticoat Lane was voted the No. 1 consignment shop in Orange County by readers of the Orange County Register. It is a small shop with mostly women's clothing ranging from resale bead handbags to a way cool rack of designer jeans by Seven, Citizens of Humanity and Cavalli at $39-$69. 15051 Edwards St., Huntington Beach, CA. 92647. (714-891-4090).
If you're trying to score the original Clash "Combat Rock" LP or grab a T-shirt from the Stone's "Voodoo Lounge" tour, look no farther than Vintage and Vinyl, a by-old-rockers, for-old-rockers treasure chest guaranteed to be playing a Ramones song whenever you walk in the door. The name has changed from Taxi Taxi to Vintage Vinyl, but the slate of offerings remains the same: vintage rock and punk vinyl and trendy thrift-shop threads and accessories. Vintage and Vinyl, 17845 Beach Blvd., (714) 847-8829.
Clothing at Huntington Beach vintage stores may cost more than what you pay at swap meets and thrift stores like Goodwill, but the prices seldom get out of hand like on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. Vintage dresses typically cost $15-$40, shoes run $15-$40 and shirts run $10-$15.
Some stores help shoppers (typically teens, college students or Halloween costume hunters) complete their looks by selling cheap, trendy merchandise along with vintage wares.
Whether you're into retro, vintage, renaissance or other alternative merchandise, here are some other vintage clothing stores worth a visit while you're in Huntington Beach: Rose Closet at 9037 Adams (714-962-4377) and Denim Blue Boulevard at 17963 Beach Blvd. (714-841-5384). And even though its merchandise is new, you can find an eclectic mix of punk, gothic and indy styles in The Electric Chair at 410 Main St. Huntington Beach, CA (714- 536-0784).
To learn more about Huntington Beach, visit www.surfcityusa.com or call 800-729-6232 and request a free visitors guide. Surf City USA™ is a trademark of the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau. All rights reserved.