Coming off a hugely successful show in July, Rose City Vintage Market is busy getting ready to host as many as 250 vendors of antique and vintage treasures at the Portland Metropolitan Expo Center on October 21 and 22.

Rose City Vintage Market creator Mindy King created the long-running Palm Springs Vintage Market in 2014 and became a part-time Portlander in 2017 to be close to her family.

“Our community of vintage lovers and sellers in the desert kept growing, even through the hard times of the pandemic,” she says, “and we always had a vision of bringing lovers of vintage a similar event in the Rose City.”

Bringing younger collectors together with Portland’s great shops

Working from Portland during lockdown, King says, “I finally convinced the Expo that this would work. From my experience in Palm Springs, I saw the trends among young people and we started from scratch to morph a traditional antiques show into one that would appeal to a younger, more eclectic audience of collectors.” The first Rose City Vintage Market debuted at the Expo Center in 2021 and has grown into a regular shopping destination for collectors and a growing opportunity for sellers of quality antique and vintage goods to reach new audiences.

In July, King says, “attendance was almost double from the previous show” and was a boon for both shoppers and vendors. “We encourage a lot of vendors to do the show as a way to promote their own shops; and hope to create a ‘shop the shops’ area in the marketplace, spotlighting Portland area brick and mortar shops. There are a lot of great shops and artists and creators in Portland, and this is an excellent way for shoppers to discover them.”

Super-curated booths and a festive atmosphere

Another highlight of the coming show is an expanded tasting area featuring seasonal cider and spirits tastings by local breweries, wineries, and distilleries.

“The show is built around a bounty of super-curated booths and a fun, festive atmosphere,” King says. “The vendors take great care in bringing the best of their goods and showcasing them beautifully. Whether you’re just ‘window shopping’ or on the hunt for a particular collectible or piece of furniture, the experience is extraordinary.”

Furniture, home decor, jewelry, clothing and special collectibles

Furniture and home decor is the most popular category at the show. “Some people are looking for a fine, mint condition piece of period furniture, and others want what we call a ‘project piece’ that they can restore, refinish or reupholster to their own taste,” King says, “and there will be a great selection of both categories, all authentic vintage and thoughtfully curated.  Home decor includes paintings, sculptures, prints,  rock ’n’ roll posters, advertising and brand signs, lamps, vintage rugs from Turkey and Morocco, and all sizes of indoor and outdoor pottery from fine manufacturers across Europe.

Shoppers looking for truly unique gifts or additions to their wardrobes will find lots of vintage jewelry, from classic turquoise and silver to fine gold and gems and designer costume pieces; along with vintage apparel that ranges from school letter jackets and evening gowns to designer handbags, classic workwear by Carhartt and Pendleton and collectible “kicks” from Nike, Adidas and Jordan.

In addition, there are booths showcasing paper goods, books, retro toys, and all sorts of other specialized collectibles, making the experience one that appeals to a wide variety of tastes and budgets.

“We always see a lot of designers who shop this market for their clients,” King says, “and we have shoppers from Seattle, Bend, and all over the Pacific Northwest.  “Nothing here was poorly made or mass-produced and that is a huge draw today.”

The Rose City Vintage Market runs Saturday, Oct. 21, 11am-4pm and Sunday, Oct. 22, 10am-4pm. Early admission is available on Saturday, 8-11am. For complete ticket and schedule information, visit rosecityvintagemarket.com