By Audrey Elwood, Campus News Editor

In an old warehouse on the Northside, Sweethearts Vintage opened its doors for the first time this Sunday. Hosting mainly furniture with some odds-and-ends, it felt like stepping into a 1970s casanova’s living room. 

The line was literally out the door 30 minutes after opening, but the wait was not too bad, as there were pop-ups from Young Buck Deli and Elliott Coffee to help pass the time. It was for the most part held in a warm ventilated space by the loading docks. The wait was probably around 15 minutes overall.

Every other person who left the showroom left with some grand item. There was a set of the most beautiful dressers that were snagged before I could get to them, which will forever break my heart. Honestly, there was a worry that all the goodies would be gone, which was clearly not true upon arrival into the large open space. 

There were multiple full sets of living room furniture. Some standouts were the 1970s floating chair with a mirrored coffee table that was set at the eye watering price of $1,500. Alongside this was a midcentury modern chaise set, completed with a wooden coffee table that was nestled in its center. 

While the decor was scattered with many different aesthetics, it was largely kept to the 1960s-1980s era. Particularly, there was a large amount of mid-century modern pieces. 

To keep with the theme, there was a large amount of vintage magazines being sold, specifically Playboys. If those are not your style, there was a large amount of home and lifestyle magazines scattered throughout the selection. They also had the coveted “Playmate Puzzles.”

While it was overwhelmingly furniture, there was a mix of different loose ends, such as mini shell chandeliers and a selection of vintage robes. My favorite items were two 1970s orange briefcase style suitcases. They were the type of suitcases seen in old movies when the girl moves to “the big city.” For both of them, it was only $30, which even with the minor damages, was a steal.

While many vintage stores fall into the outrageous pricing trap Sweetheart’s Vintage does not. You could tell things were curated with a purpose but were priced to sell. 

In a price-gouging industry, it was refreshing to see normal prices for used items. Even the futuristic floating chairs were going well below what they were being sold for online. 

Zach Bryan posted on his Instagram about the pop-up, which drew a large amount of people. Normally, 15-year-old boys are not the target demographic of 1970s vintage furniture stores but their moms were running the place dry. 

We left there around an hour after opening, and within that time, around half of the items shown on their Instagram were gone. It was high traffic for sure, with a strict limit on the amount of people allowed in at one time. 

While there is no clear date on when there will be another pop-up, I will be there. With a curated aesthetic that feels more intentional, but also much more accessible than other vintage stores, Sweethearts Vintage is a sweet place to shop.