Ember Duke | layout editor

“I sold a $1,200 bracelet and I sold a raccoon.”

Nicholas Hess, owner of The Printer’s Cabinet in Grove City, brought some friends to the 12th annual Pittsburgh Vintage Mixer on Nov. 9 including a weasel, ferret, raccoon and fox — all taxidermied of course.

This was his 10th year vending at the event. It’s the audience engagement, event organization and range of vendors that keeps bringing him and his curiosities back to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

After dabbling in vintage selling, Bess Dunlevy and her business partners noticed a Pittsburgh-shaped hole in the antique and vintage community. This sparked the creation of the mixer, an event which aggregates vendors specializing in a range of vintage items like clothing, furniture, art and homeware.

“There were things like this happening at the time in Chicago and Philadelphia, but nothing in Pittsburgh,” Dunlevy said.

Items spanned fashion eras and time, with pieces from the 20th century to the early aughts. The aim is to engage all audiences, whether it’s someone familiar with vintage or just getting started, said Dunlevy.

“We try to make this an environment that is approachable for everyone … no matter who you are, what your esthetic is, how you identify — this is a place that you can feel welcome and find something that matches your style,” Dunlevy said.

The pricing also intends to reflect this sentiment, so they choose a range of vendors, all vetted for quality, she said.

Vintage jewelry and apparel has always been part of Maria O’Malley’s life. She opened Forget-Me-Not Shoppe in 1992 after growing up watching her godmother run her jewelry store.

“There’s nothing like vintage; the quality is difficult to duplicate,” O’Malley said.

In the three years she’s been vending the event, she’s seen people come from far and wide for the convention. One of her regulars works in the film industry and comes in from Los Angeles to find hidden gems at the event, she said.

“Pittsburgh is one of the oldest cities in the country that still has great vintage finds and so it draws people in no matter what,” she said.

Suede, leather, knits and denim blended booths together, creating a sea of textiles for patrons to swim through. The crowd’s outfits rivaled the stuffed clothing racks, with most people in styled outfits.

Many vendors saw returning customers, which they remembered from years prior.

“We’d like this show to be something for everybody,” Dunlevy said. “We find that our attendees have grown with the show folks who maybe were going to Pitt and used to come and maybe buy a little bit of clothes and now they come back and they’re furnishing their houses.”

Between the digging, people sat at green and white checkered high-tops — many enjoying refreshments like soft pretzels from the concession area. The event ran from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and had a $10 cover fee. Dunlevy said the mixer will likely be in the convention center again next year.

Ariel Robbins, owner of Last Word Vintage, splits her time between Cincinnati and Chicago, but makes the trek to Pittsburgh about twice a year for the vintage scene, she said.

Penny Lane style jackets were a hit at her booth, with a few selling in the morning, she said. The range of ages and the steady flow of customers stood out to her.

“There’s also a lot of appreciation of vintage in general, versus people coming and not necessarily understanding price points or decades or value, which is really refreshing,” she said.

Emily Mittermaier, owner of Traveling Spirit Vintage in Morganstown, worked the end-booth of one aisle, stacked with colorful glass and printed ceramic. She specializes in vintage kitchenware.

“I hear a lot of ‘my mom had that, I remember this,’ and so that’s what I love about vintage … the memories that it brings back,” Mittermaier said.

Between the joy she said she felt in talking to customers and manning her booth, she spotted a set of pink and turquoise Pyrex, which she planned on snagging before the event ended.

“I’m looking forward to talking to more people and going shopping myself,” Mittermaier said.

In the years since its inception, the market has gained significant traction. Last year, it saw approximately 4,000 visitors, said Dunlevy.

“Last year we moved it here to the convention center. We were able to expand the footprint, allow it to be more accessible, wider aisles, wider leaves and the event in terms of the quality and quantity of items,” Dunlevy said.