A passion for vintage clothing that started in a family garage has found a new home downtown.
Fray Vintage officially opened on August 22 at 202 SW Fifth St., taking over the space formerly occupied by the popular vintage store Lint.
(Photo: Fray Vintage)
“Fray started in my parents’ garage while I was still in high school,” owner Lydia Fricke said. “What began as a small online vintage shop quickly grew as I earned Top Seller status on Depop and Poshmark.”
As the business grew, Fray began making appearances at vintage markets and vendor malls throughout Oregon. The in-person events helped to inspire her to move the business from online sales to a physical storefront.
“What really made me fall in love with vintage was the community,” Fricke said. “I love meeting people, making connections, and sharing pieces that have their own history and character.”
Each item sold at Fray is selected through countless hours of sourcing. The shop’s goal is to give local shoppers access to distinctive vintage clothing without requiring them to do all the hunting themselves.
“Fray’s mission has always been to curate garments with character, history, and style,” Fricke said.
Fray’s opening comes amidst a slew of other changes to local downtown storefronts. Some of which involve changes of location, new additions, and closures.
We peeked through the windows of the space next to Brass Monkey on Saturday and spotted what appeared to be a new shop being set up. All we could see were plants…and a book about witches. After a little sleuthing, we concluded that Studio Lumos Tattoo was behind it.
Then they put a hex on our scoop by announcing the news on social media today.
Studio Lumos is moving from its Jefferson Avenue location to 126 SW First St., right next door to Brass Monkey. This is a match made in heaven. The First Street building has housed several restaurants and bars over the years, including Cloud & Kelly’s Public House.
Studio Lumos will celebrate its new waterfront space with “Witching Hour at Lumos,” a live music and art event scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 22. The event will feature Carrie Nation & the Speakeasy, with Clyde and the Milltailers.
Another new (but not entirely new) business is stitching together plans for a downtown Corvallis location. Sew Sisters Fabric Shoppe has announced that it expects to open in October, although the exact location remains under wraps for now.
The shop is designed as more than a place to purchase fabric and sewing supplies. Sew Sisters also plans to provide a community space where sewists, crafters, and textile and fiber artists can gather, create, learn, and share ideas.
The business is connected to the Corvallis Sewing Collective Studio and Seoul Sisters Boutique. The new opening seems to be less about starting from scratch and more about expanding on an already established community.
More details (and the shop’s eventual location) are expected as the October opening draws closer. Information is also available at sewsistersfabric.com.
Fray Vintage is open from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Shoppers can find the business on Instagram at @fray.vtg or visit shopfray.square.site.
Also… Adore Salon no more… and Reddit rumors galore. But what will replace it? Our crystal ball can’t say. Maybe Studio Lumos has a better one… to keep the rumors at bay.
This article was written by Jackson Hayes, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com
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