When a fire displaced Gather A Vintage Market at its old location, the Wildcat Storage facility on West St. Mary鈥檚 Road, last April, the market鈥檚 owners had no idea that the incident would ultimately be a blessing in disguise.
Lorri Boffo, Simon Carson and Tim Reynolds were already on the hunt for a new spot to house their wildly popular, once-a-month vintage market prior to the blaze.
The fire, which was started by a nearby homeless encampment in the middle of the night, damaged the building they were in and destroyed a large chunk of their inventory. It also gave them the push they needed to relocate.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 give up under any circumstance,鈥 Carson said. 鈥淨uitting was never even a thought.鈥
Fast forward four months and the Gather team is gearing up for their very first sale in their new surroundings: a former warehouse in the heart of the Lost Barrio, 300 S. Park Ave.
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Once home to Studio Encanto, the showroom for Santa Barbara interior designer Christy Martin, the space had served as a Wildcat Crossfit for the last 12 years.
Just about everything about the location fit their needs, Boffo said.
鈥淚t has that old vintage vibe to it,鈥 she added. 鈥淏rick walls, wood floors, high ceilings. We knew it would be great for hanging banners and light fixtures.鈥
The Gather team will have the opportunity to show off their brand new 6,000 square feet of showroom space when they hold their grand opening market Thursday, Sept. 8, through Sunday, Sept. 11.
Lorri Boffo, co-owner and stylist, says the new Gather space fits the market鈥檚 needs perfectly. 鈥淏rick walls, wood floors, high ceilings. We knew it would be great for hanging banners and light fixtures,鈥 she said.
The building will house hundreds of antique and vintage items within about a dozen vignettes, all shaped and styled with themes in mind, such as granny鈥檚 attic, mid-century, hunting room and outdoor
garden.
Many of the pieces in the inventory were picked by members of the Gather team, seasoned pickers, at flea markets, antique fairs and vintage shops throughout the Southwest.
鈥淲e use 99% of what our pickers find,鈥 Carson said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l make sure everything gets onto the floor at some point over the weekend. As soon as a piece of furniture sells, another piece of furniture takes its place.鈥
About 70% of the inventory amassed for any given sale is sold over the course of four days.
Carson said what started as a once-a-month gig when they purchased the business three years ago has evolved into something much bigger.
鈥淭his has turned into more than a full-time job,鈥 Carson said. 鈥淭he business has gained so much momentum, we are picking every single day now and traveling around the whole of the country gathering things.鈥
Gather A Vintage Market will be open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. For more information, visit .
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