By Roger Munoz
A customer looks at the various items that were on display during the Vintage Pop-Up shop event on Saturday.
From clothing to jewelry, Misc. Trading Co. hosted a Vintage Pop-Up shop event for vintage aficionados to find their favorite items on Saturday in front of the Warnors Theatre.
Alvaro Romero, who started Misc. Trading Co. two years ago, said collecting vintage items, has always been a passion.
“I’ve been collecting since I was like 15,” Romero said. “I’ve always been interested in well-made things; things that have interesting qualities or design.”
Romero said he hopes the event invigorates interest in Downtown Fresno and attract vintage enthusiasts.
“I want to bring more people Downtown,” Romero said. “I really want to be part of growing the vintage community or people who are interested in vintage. I want to bring not only people who are interested in vintage items, but people who don’t know Downtown Fresno and who haven’t had a chance to explore it.”
Romero’s goal for the event was to invite a variety of fellow vintage collectors that represented the boutique’s name””Miscellaneous.
“Clothing, jewelry, furniture and artwork,” Romero said. “The name of the shop is miscellaneous, so I’ve invited people with all sorts of things.”
The event had an array of items that ranged from to typewriters, paintings, birdcages, bags and hats to an old Fresno Bee newspaper featuring President Kennedy’s assassination.
Andy Doris, a vintage vendor, said this is the second time he’s been part of this event and he enjoys that it brings people together.
“It’s neat and it’s kind of spontaneous,” Doris said. “Everybody gets out here and it brings people down to this area for the permanent stores here. It’s a good outlet for me and the things that I have.”
Jose Perez, a vintage collector and seller, said he hopes the event fuels the love for vintage stores.
“I think it’s great,” Perez said. “I think there should be more vintage shops like this, pop-up shops. It’s really getting big right now. It’s already big in the bigger cities. Vintage is the new thing.”
Veronica Stumpf, a vintage enthusiast, said she was eager to attend the event after hearing last month’s event was so successful. Stumpf said the thrill of finding unique items is one of the reasons she enjoys vintage shopping.
“What appeals to me about vintage is that the styles are very classic and its very timeless,” Stumpf said. “And it’s fun searching through all the piles of clothes and finding something that’s one of a kind and nobody else has.”
Romero said he hopes to grow the event and do it on a monthly basis starting in September.
Misc. Trading Co. is located at 2017 Tuolumne Street.