The Brass Owl takes a fresh approach to vintage clothing on Grand Rapids' Wealthy St.

Amy VanZoeren says she's always thought about owning a vintage clothing shop. When she had the opportunity to get the inventory from the former Coat of Many Colors vintage shop, she decided the time had come.

VanZoeren opened The Brass Owl (1127 Wealthy St. SE) about three weeks ago, offering both vintage and contemporary men's and women's clothing, shoes and accessories.

"The vintage clothing I have dates from the 1990s back," VanZoeren says. "We have suits and sport jackets for men from the '70s and '80s. I get a lot of people who are looking for costumes for '70s- and '80s-themed parties."

VanZoeren says the storefront sat vacant for quite a while before she decided to lease the 900-square-foot space for the shop. She describes the store as having a "warm and cozy feel," which attracts a lot of foot traffic from nearby Uncle Cheetah's Soup Shop and Wealthy Theatre across the street.

And while VanZoeren hopes to put some of the store's profits in her pocket, she is working to hatch an idea for a possible scholarship fund for neighborhood kids using some of the store's earnings.

"I live right around the corner, so the neighborhood is very important to me," she says. "I'm very committed to being part of the lives of my neighbors. I had this idea that I could make a difference by putting profits into scholarships for art and music for the kids. I'm still trying to figure out the best avenue, but my vision is to make an investment back into my community."

Besides clothing, the store offers handmade jewelry by local artists including Rose Beerhorst's button bracelets and Lisa Portenga's The Empty Nest Kitsch Jewelry.

Store hours are Weds. and Thurs. 12 to 5, and Fri. and Sat. 12 to 7.

Source: Amy VanZoeren, The Brass Owl
Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor