Downtown business debuts fresh concept with classic flair

Black Mountain Vintage brings new style to Church Street

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
February 5, 2024

Dana Esposito opened Black Mountain Vintage with her business partner, Tyler Thomas, on Jan. 20. The store features styles from the 1970s through the early 2000s. Photo by Fred McCormick

It has only been a few weeks since the Jan. 20 debut of Black Mountain Vintage, but there is an air of familiarity inside the eclectic new shop on Church Street. Much of the merchandise inspires nostalgia for bygone eras of fashion, as the work of local artists and creators complements the thoughtfully curated shelves, racks and tables.

Between Stetson hats, Dale Earnhardt t-shirts, designer denim, flannels, full-length coats and a diverse range of offerings, however, customers discover a fresh concept ushering in a unique downtown shopping experience.

Business partners Dana Esposito and Tyler Thomas met through a series of makers markets around Western N.C.

“I was coordinating those markets with various small businesses in the region and Tyler started doing those events with vintage items and blowing it out of the water,” said Esposito, who has lived in the Swannanoa Valley for five years. “One day we were talking and decided that if we didn’t open up a vintage store, someone else would do it.”

The co-owners shared their experiences sourcing “high-quality fashion brands” from markets around the region.

“I had been thrifting, just finding stuff for myself, for like 10 years,” Thomas said. “I was living in Charleston six years ago, and I started going out finding stuff I thought was cool, even if it wasn’t for me, and selling it online.”

By the time he arrived in Black Mountain in 2019, Thomas was selling his vintage finds online, while working a full-time job.

“When I moved here, I started really picking up on what I was finding and selling so much stuff at markets,” he said. “It was picking up so much, I started doing it full-time, and that’s when we talked through this idea for the shop.”

Black Mountain Vintage, according to Esposito, offers brands made popular over the course of the past five decades.

“High-quality denim, 100% cotton and a lot of products that were made in the U.S.A,” she said. “This is not fast fashion, it’s stuff you don’t really see anymore.”

The owners strive to find items that’s could be “the perfect piece for someone,” Esposito continued.

“We had a girl come in the other day who bought an Irish linen dress from the 1920s, and it fit her like a glove,” she said. “It was a 100-year-old piece and it felt like it was made for her. We love that, and that’s not a piece she can find again.”

While much of the merchandise was sourced by Thomas and Esposito, selections from around 20 local vendors are featured, as well.

Tyler Thomas arranges clothing in Black Mountain Vintage, which opened on Church Street in January. The store features classic apparel, local art and a variety of hand-crafted items. Photo by Fred McCormick

A small display room in the back of the store features natural sheepskin products from the eco-friendly Asheville-based East Perry, which produces hand-made rugs, pillows, blankets and more, while an Artisan room displays art work from local artists.

“We sell work by four or five artists from Black Mountain and Swannanoa, and we really want to support local artists and makers,” Esposito said.

A show room in the front of Black Mountain Vintage hosts selections from other collectors and upcycled vintage apparel.

“These are vendors we got to know through the markets, and we wanted to collaborate with them and include stuff that could appeal to anyone who walks in the door,” Thomas said. “So, we have these items that range from re-worked vintage clothing to Western-wear to prints to ice dye.”

The store has received an “incredibly positive response” since opening its doors, according to the owners.

“Everybody that has come in so far seems to connect with something in here,” Thomas said. “Some customers really like the jewelry we carry, while younger people are often into the vintage pants and t-shirts.”

The store brings a “cool young energy” to town, according to Esposito.

“We do events here, too,” she said. “We’re going to be hosting parties, bringing in food trucks and doing things out in the community.”

Black Mountain Vintage is partnering with White Horse Black Mountain, Saturday, Feb. 24, for the shop’s first pop-up market.

“We just want to do community building events and bring something unique to town,” Esposito said. “It’s about good times, good clothes and good stuff. That’s the vision here, bringing people together around unique items that you won’t find anywhere else.”