In the more than ten years years since we launched MidModMen+friends there’s been a sea change in attitudes about furnishing our lives with previously owned goods. Shopping vintage has gone mainstream, with just about everyone welcoming it into their homes, workplaces and wardrobes. It’s a matter of degrees, with just a little for some and all in for others.
What’s the rationale for all this vintage love? We can think of six good reasons.
- GOOD BONES. “They don’t make it like they used to” was just a cliché to us before we launched MidModMen+friends. It felt like something old-timey folks said to resist change. Turns out that expression holds more than a kernel of truth. After restoring thousands of pieces of furniture we know that many vintage goods are well-constructed using top-quality materials and techniques. When chosen wisely, and no matter how cosmetically challenged a piece might be, it’s good bones make it worth the effort.
- GOOD DESIGN. Innovative and appealing design is alive and well – usually at the top tier. But more goods offered to the broader marketplace are built to not last. So fresh design is a low priority (that’s why there’s so much inferior quality furniture using copycat designs). We focus on authentic mid-century American and Scandinavian modern decor and know that designs from that era still resonate with customers. For both aesthetic and practical reasons good design is timeless and the design vocabulary from that era still drives today’s style preferences.
- GOOD INVESTMENT. If it has good bones and good design, vintage furniture can be a great investment even when you use it in your everyday life. Especially if it’s been cared for, restored or updated thoughtfully. High-quality vintage furniture also yields a good return on investment because you’ve chosen a piece that can last decades instead of a few years. In some cases it might even get you a better-than-average return if you decide to sell it.
- GOOD TIMING. We hear from a lot of customers that ordering brand new furniture these days is a waiting game. A long waiting game. There are backlogs in materials and manufacturing along with shipping congestion that result in pieces on back-order for months on end. Vintage furniture is right here, right now. And if you shop at a store that cleans and restores pieces in advance, you can take your finds home and use them immediately.
- GOOD EARTH. An estimated 12 million tons or more of furniture goes into the waste stream each year. And that’s just in the United States. When you buy something that’s already been around the block you’re contributing to sustainability. That restored accent table or rewired lamp might have ended up in an already-bulging landfill. A reupholstered sofa saves the frame even if the old fabric and foam are discarded. Bonus points when you upholster with fabrics that use recycled or renewable materials, like we often do.
- GOOD FUN. Searching for a unique piece of furniture or decor is a lot of fun, especially if you’re open to serendipity. You never know what you’ll find, which means learning something new, sparking a little nostalgia, or finding a new passion. Lots of our customers come in on a mission, looking for something that fulfills a certain function. Yet they leave with a piece that scratches an unanticipated itch. Lean into the hunt and make it an adventure every time you go out.
- Browse the showcase section at MidModMen.com for a generous sampling of currently available furniture, as well as select lighting, artwork and decor
-
Visit the store at 2401 University Avenue West, St. Paul, MN 55114
-
Regular store hours are Friday-Saturday from 11am-5pm and Sunday from 11am-4pm (always check our website and social media for holiday store hours)
We have some resources to get some items to the greater Detroit area. There are other shipping options possible depending upon the specific item/items you have in mind.