Sault vintage co-op market rebounding after lockdown

SAULT STE. MARIE -

A group of vendors in Sault Ste. Marie are hoping their co-op venture will continue to rebound in the wake of the COVID-19 shutdown. The Ole Warehouse Market has been selling vintage items for the last several years and is just coming out of its pandemic slumber.

The Ole Warehouse Market, formerly The Vintage Co-op, is a collection of vendors that sets up at an old warehouse property in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, selling vintage, retro and otherwise one-of-a-kind items.

“There’s about 12 or 13 of us, and we each bring things in that still have some value to them, still have some life to them, whether it’s vintage or retro,” says Marion Avery, who has been with the co-op since the beginning. She says vintage items have a certain appeal.

“I think a lot of people are realizing that some of these items are good quality and still have life to them,” she says. “Whereas a lot of the things you buy now don’t seem to last. A lot of them have a little story to tell as well.”

Martin Mann, one of the newest vendors at the co-op and owner of “Uniquely Made By Mann” says the handmade items are also a big hit with customers.

“There’s a lot of really, really unique stuff and the vendors that are coming here…some of the crafts that they’re making are one of a kind and it’s pretty neat,” says Mann.

He started making things out of old glassware as a means of passing the time during COVID.

Avery says some people come to the market with an idea of what they’re looking for, while others simply come to browse.

“People come in sometimes with something in mind that they’re looking for, but then some people just come and browse and they enjoy the seeking and the hunting and just finding something that tickles their fancy.”

The Ole Warehouse Market is open every Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.