The West Slope’s Best Vintage Shops
As fashion gets faster and landfills get fuller, populated by clothes made for just a few wears, many fashionistas are turning to timeless styles made to last.
Vintage shopping gives customers a chance to score statement and staple pieces for a bargain, and it’s enjoying a resurgence as consumers buck the fleeting microtrends.
Whether you’re into ‘70s house dresses or old western hats, chances are you can find your style at a curated vintage shop on the Western Slope. Here is what some local owners have to say about what they have to offer — and how to get started.
MOSAIC
Mosaic features men’s, women’s and children’s clothing primarily from the mid-1900s, with some newer and older pieces mixed in. Photo courtesy of Mosaic.
Leanna Johnson is an expert at finding pieces from decades past and giving them a second life. Her Montrose shop, which she co-owns with her husband Jordan, is full of fashions the couple has sourced from the community, snagged from trash bags of discarded clothes and sometimes brought back from the dead.
“We wash things, we repair things and just really try to keep these clothes from ending up in a landfill,” she says.
Mosaic carries men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, primarily from the mid- to late-1900s. Johnson says styles range from boho to southwestern and everything in between, and she emphasized that vintage shopping can be as affordable as buying new.
“I’ll go into Target and find a vintage replica that’s more expensive than what we have the original priced at,” she points out.
RESILIENT THREADS
Resilient Threads. Photo by Kylea Henseler.
Located in Crested Butte, Resilient Threads carries a cool collection of retro t-shirts, denim jackets, old ski suits and more.
“Everything’s handpicked,” says owner Zach Vaughter. He carries some women’s pieces, but focuses on men’s fashions from the 1950s through ‘90s. Vaughter’s vintage journey began in high school over two decades ago, when some old Patagonia pieces piqued his interest.
Now, his shop has plenty of old outdoor, western and workwear to choose from, including 20th-century Patagonia.
“I’m looking for stuff that was made in the United States, and that’s high quality,” he says.
THE VAULT
Photo courtesy of The Vault
Sally Jo Ocasio knows the people who visit her Ridgway shop live diverse and wild lives, and her shop has the clothes to prove it.
“I do everything, and you wouldn’t believe what I’ve got,” she says. From a 1700s farming cape to a 1990s Armani dress, Ocasio’s selection spans centuries, ranging in style from cowboy to couture. She gravitates toward bespoke, handmade and unique goods, and has lots of denim.
“Items like that, they’ll always keep their value,” she says. She adds that older pieces are easier to resell than modern clothes.
Ocasio says one of the biggest things vintage shoppers should look at is fabric, as natural fibers like cotton, wool and silk best stand the test of time.
OLD COLORADO VINTAGE
Photo courtesy of Old Colorado Vintage
From 1920s ties to mid-century suits and plenty of cowboy hats, Durango’s Old Colorado Vintage is the place to go for statement men’s pieces that were made in the United States.
“The quality was just so much better,” owner Tom Dragt says, before the rise of “throwaway clothing.”
He’s always happy to measure customers for his retro suits, repair damaged garments and share his knowledge.
“When we started slinging vintage, it was a learning process,” Dragt says. Now, there’s plenty of information out there for beginner thrifters.
“Younger people are starting to catch on and learn things,” he says, and social media is a great place to learn about fashion eras and garment quality.
CAHOOTS TAVERN
If you prefer your vintage shopping with a side of margarita, or vice versa, try Cahoots Tavern in Ouray. Photo courtesy of Old Colorado Vintage.
Customers may head to Cahoots for a drink, but owner Crystal Tadlock says they’re often delighted to find they can pick up a vintage ski jacket as well. The cozy Ouray bar doubles as a destination to find curated retro clothing. As Tadlock says, “the more obscure the better.”
While she’s serving up drinks, customers can browse her seasonal selection of styles from the 1980s to early 2000s. There’s even a light-up mirror in the bar, and patrons enjoy trying on new fits for the crowd and giving feedback.
“It becomes like a mini fashion show,” Tadlock says. This bar is all about fun, and Tadlock loves running vintage-inspired drink specials, hosting football parties and keeping clothes out of the landfill. “It’s just a really chill vibe,” she says.
Originally published in the summer 2025 issue of Spoke+Blossom.