Inside a new vintage and upcycle boutique in Grand Rapids' East Hills shopping district, the friendly banter and easy laughter of the shop's three owners fills the air with a sense of fun.
Found, a cozy 700-square-foot shared space with Gingko Studio, is the inspiration of Susan Langejans who started her first shop, also called Found, in Holland (203 E. Eighth St.) three years ago. Within the past year, partners
Abby Hoppen-Albers and
Kelley Howley have come aboard, adding their specialties of upscale vintage clothing and shoes (Hoppen-Albers) and antique industrial furniture (Howley) to Langejans' design and upholstery talents.
The desire to open a second shop in Grand Rapids came about because "we kept hearing 'drive all the way to Holland' from customers," says Hoppen-Albers. "This is an up-and-coming area and we wanted to get our foot in the door here."
Found offers a mesmerizing blend of vintage-inspired new items, like jewelry, and genuine vintage items that have been re-purposed or upscaled to fit into modern lifestyles. Those items include party dresses and everyday clothing, framed vintage prints and needlework, lamps, upholstered furniture, and metal filing cabinets, desks and lockers.
"With Heritage Hill nearby, people are redoing their homes with vintage furniture and décor," Howley says. "We heard that Mary Ignatoski (Gingko Studio) was renting out the front of the store, so we ramped it up and were open in December in time for Shop Hop."
"I think more and more people now are really appreciating the quality of clothing and furniture from the past," says Langejans. "We're keeping things from being tossed aside."
The store will have a Valentine's Day sales event Feb. 9 from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring a photo booth.
Winter hours are: Tues.-Fri. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Source: Susan Langejans, Abby Hoppen-Albers, Kelley Howley, Found
Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor
Photographs: Deborah Johnson Wood
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