The name itself tries to sum up the Connecticut store’s goal for customers.
It’s Villa Vintiques.
At this store in the historic district of Woodbury, the owner aims to allow customers to step back in time for a shopping experience where they can find a curated selection of high-quality vintage and antique items alongside exclusive handmade items created by local artisans, and more.
“The store encompasses vintage and antique items, so I took those two words and combined them, thus the portmanteau, Vintiques,” said owner Aimee Natal, who has a collaborative and knowledgeable team.
This includes, Natal said, Muisi Krosi, her right hand man; Marlyn Henry, who is in charge of The Silver Spur Equestrian Consignment upstairs that features a wide variety of equestrian consignment items; and Brianna Berg, who offers vintage clothing, select art/decor, and accessories upstairs.
The shop is located on Main Street North in Woodbury in a 125-year-old building.
It’s part of the Connecticut Antiques Trail that connects the state’s antiquing community where people can find notable shops, flea markets, restaurants, inns, auction houses, and more, along with annual antique events.
“While the buildings themselves are a treasure, when you walk through our old wooden front door, the space is brimming with beautiful objects from the past, both large and small,” said Natal explaining vintage items are from about 20 years ago and antiques are from 100 years ago or more.
“Looking up at the store, you see a dozen chandeliers glimmering with sparkling crystals, and looking down, you’re standing on our original, old wood floor with its worn, hand-painted diamond/harlequin pattern, admired by many of our customers.”
Every part of the shop is filled with a spectrum of antique and vintage pieces brought in by select dealers and approved pieces provided by local consignors.
Villa Vintiques is a store in the historic district of Woodbury, Conn. (Contributed)
“Period drama shows like Downton Abbey, Bridgerton, and The Gilded Age have all contributed to a recent spike in interest in the Victorian era. Some of our lovely dinnerware, chandeliers, and select furniture pieces look like they came straight off the sets of those shows,” said Natal. “Young people find the 80s super fun, so we carry some pop culture nostalgic items from that decade as well as from the 70s, 60s, and mid-century.”
Natal offers personalized customer service and is works to be thoughtful, reflective, and gentle when it comes to the merchandise she takes into her shop.
Villa Vintiques is a store in the historic district of Woodbury, Conn. (Contributed)
“We see antiques, vintage finds, and art as more than just objects – they’re pieces of history waiting to be loved again. Our mission is to give these treasures a new life by connecting them with people who appreciate their charm, character, and story,” said Natal. “We believe in the beauty of the imperfect, the handmade, and the timeworn, and we take joy in helping each customer discover that one special piece – or several – that feel meant just for them.”
Sue, of Southbury, is a consignor and a shopper who visits the shop two to three times per month.
“Aimee has been instrumental in consigning any number of items for me. We’ve been collaborating with a large range of vintage and antique items,” she said. “As a consignor, I appreciate the respect that Aimee extends to whatever I have presented for consignment. Aimee handles them as if they were her own, knowing that they have sentimental value and that it’s equally important that they find the right person for their next chapter. Working with Aimee has been a wonderful experience.”
Aimee Natal, Brianna Berg, Marlyn Henry and Muisi Krosi at Villa Vintiques, Woodbuyy, Conn. (Contributed)
As a shopper, she said appreciates the shop’s layout.
“Items are featured in a way that you can appreciate their use, their beauty, their quality. Merchandise is tastefully placed, not crowded. Each space, or room, is typically dedicated to a theme,” said Sue who appreciates the atmosphere.
“It’s a place that captures the past – in the structure itself as well the décor. Each time I stop in, there’s a feeling of warmth and nostalgia. Aimee is very passionate about everything that she has in Villa Vintiques. Items are thoughtfully displayed; and, the contents of the store continually change. Aimee takes the time to research the details, and her prices reflect a fair, current and competitive market value of each and every item. You can feel her enthusiasm for repurposing and for finding a new home for all of the merchandise.”
A popular part of the business also is The Silver Spur Equestrian Consignment that carries saddles, boots, helmets, bridles and bits, ratcatchers and breeches, framed hunt scenes, and more.
“Marlyn is a former champion equestrian jumper and active in the equine community. She realizes there is a need in this area for a place to consign and sell both pre-owned and new equestrian equipment,” said Natal.
The building also has a colorful history. In the early 1900s, it housed the H.K.H. (Heminway) Silk Factory that made bobbins of silk thread. For the following two years, it was the Woodbury Y.M C.A. for men and boys.
“In the 1950s it was George’s Grocery, where locals would occasionally glimpse Marilyn Monroe shopping during the five years in which she was wed to famous playwright Arthur Miller. In the 1960s it became Walter’s Gallery, an art and frame shop that doubled as a teenage hangout, where local youth would watch movies, put on plays and make music (one old photo shows now-famous folk musician Pete Seeger as one of the young people hanging out in front of the building),” said Natal.
In the 70s or 80s, and for about 40+ years it was Grass Roots Antiques by Ethel Greenblatt and Martel & Suffin Antiques by Michael Suffin.
Natal pointed out she tries to be competitive in her pricing.
“We do our best to take into account the person consigning the object, the merit of the object itself, and our customers. Our inventory is such that no quick stamp or cookie cutter method can be used when pricing, because our objects may be as old as the 18th century or as modern as the 1980s,” she said.
“Many are one-of-a-kind and not found online. We do our research, and I rely particularly on the national publication made right here in nearby Newtown, called Antiques and the Arts Weekly. We also learn from a few retired antique dealers who share with us their wealth of knowledge and expertise.”
Natal, who recently ran three online resale stores for eight years before opening Villa Vintiques, said she appreciates the daily variety and customer interaction.
“No two days are ever the same. We enjoy not only those who wish to browse, but also those who want to tell us stories about old objects they cherish, or ask questions about what we have for sale,” said Natal who first met Brianna as a customer.
Natal said she’s proud of the shop she’s created. “I want people to feel their time here was well spent in a space that’s warm, welcoming, and filled with stories. If they leave with a deeper appreciation for pieces that were built to last, made by hand, and full of history, then I’ve done my job.”
