37 of the Greatest Classic Furnishings Retailers in North America

Building out your own space is more important than ever, especially as the line between home and work blurs further into oblivion. A lesson learned from our excess time spent indoors is how easy redecorating can be—whether you’re rearranging, painting a new wall, or replacing that chair stooped from the curb years ago. And as people have a chance to peer into your home thanks to the ongoing necessity of Zoom, FaceTime, and Google Hangout meetings, something as innocuous as the desk chair you’re sitting in or the ottoman in the background, can articulate more than your muted mic through that class or meeting.

The good news is that there are a ton of vintage furniture stores to help, especially less well-known ones that have popped up on the internet over the past couple of years. Many of these vintage dealers and vendors have cast aside brick and mortar locations in order to directly sell on Instagram, thus offering the best goods to an even wider audience, while others maintain IRL shops that are well worth checking out. Start with us in Canada as we move through the East Coast, across the Midwest, and all the way down to Mexico, where we will show you the hotspots you could add to the itinerary for that next epic road trip—should you have enough room to spare in the trunk.

Canada

For the more minimalist shopper scouring the market for the most sophisticated pieces, look no further than Le Centerpiece. Founded by Julia Johnson and Jade Moisan, the Montreal shop specializes in 20th-century upscale vintage furniture and decor pieces. Their inventory lineup is star-studded and focuses on fresh design that transcends the ages, such as these Falcon Chairs from Plydesign, or this pair of Vicario armchairs by Italian industrial designer Vico Magistretti.

Hilary Smith, a former brand strategist, launched Alvar Home in 2020 after moving back home to Toronto. With an exceptional eye and zest for online auctions, she’s able to add new vintage furniture and upcycled goods to her website every Sunday. Her pieces are clean and minimal and you can sort through her website easily with handy filters like material or color. Especially helpful is the transparency regarding which pieces are stamped and authenticated and which ones are not. Many items are affordable, like this lacquered coffee table, with some great deals on authenticated items as well, such as this Milo Baughman blonde maple dresser.

If you’re not afraid of a little zillenial color, the best place to stop by or DM is The Apartment Life. They ship worldwide and you can ditch your Amazon LED lights for more elevated pieces from Fiona Watt’s all pink vintage store. If a custom pink Wassily isn’t your flavor, fear not, they have some great lighting and other pieces, like this waterfall console in baby blue, a touch to the right on the light spectrum.

East Coast

Renewfinds is a new shop founded in 2020 by Brooklyn business and life partners, Jesse and Leo. They work together to source classic pieces that stand the test of time under the belief that home should be a sanctuary and buying vintage helps keep the Earth a sanctuary, too. You can’t beat their seating, with Scarpa galore and modern fiberglass pieces that are hard to find like this Diego Battista  rocking chair. If you need a more 2D refresh for your walls, they sell unique serigraphs and lithographs.

Unique to NYC, Coming Soon serves a lot of PoMo pieces with a side of classic. They also work with ateliers and small artists to sell one-of-a-kind items such as this Iris Mirror or this Make Bank Stool. Can’t decide on a piece or direction for a room? Recently launched Tiger Homes is an archival project from Coming Soon that allows you to peer inside the homes of the shop’s collectors and get some inspo. This is a great store for housewares as well as furniture and gifts.

With a glass exterior on their corner location, this is the store in Brooklyn that you’ll visit every time you pass by, even if you’re in a rush to a dinner date or movie down the street. Expertly curated, Home Union is a vintage store that has expanded since its founding in 2016. They offer textiles, lighting, and truly stylish housewares in addition to the beautiful furniture they source. We’ve got our eye on this 1960s rosewood Danish credenza and this classic Alto Chair 45 with rattan arm accents.

Cat Snodgrass is the mastermind behind the brightly colored and curvy curation of Brooklyn’s Bi-Rite Studio. She started her business in 2015 and is one of the few who decided to keep a brick and mortar location after the pandemic, located in Greenpoint. With most of her sales online, Snodgrass ships across the U.S. Her shop has a heavy focus on 1970s Italian furniture, like this Boby trolley, as well collections from Memphis Milano. Her own design, the Capsule mirror, has become a staple in many influencers’ homes.

Business partners Ed Be and Jared Blake treat their East Williamsburg furniture store not only as a showroom, but as an incubator for creativity and artistic endeavor. This shop requires an in-person visit if you want to see the best and latest of their inventory. Lichen has sold designs well-known around the world, such as the Rosewood Lounge Chair by Jean Gillon or a reupholstered Raf Simons bench. What makes them truly unique, other than their appreciation for craftsmanship, is their bond with local artists; we loved getting to peer at Mike Ruiz-Serra’s studio work at their October exhibition for L.A. artist Kyle Reyes.

Buying from Dobbins feels like buying a unique piece from a dear friend. The cohort of Brooklyn-based ladies who own Dobbins sell their fresh finds from two locations in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. You’re likely to find a great colorful piece or ’70s furniture set when you shop through their Instagram or in-person, but keep in mind they are local delivery or pickup only.

For a more digital purchasing experience, head over to Fetish Priest’s highlights on Instagram. Tapping through their stories feels like stepping into a high-end retail store where you want to buy one of everything…mostly because that’s all that is presented. The carefully curated selection offers rare Italian classics from the mid to late 20th century that are iconic and instantly recognizable. (Monthly subscribers get special and private sales through their exclusive Close Friends list.) While the Instagram store is based in New York City, some pieces are also available to be shipped globally. Head here if you’re looking for memorable designs such as a Plia folding chair designed for Castelli or a Rodolfo Bonetto magazine rack.

Previously known as Our Haus Collective, Pip Home Studio brings together the best vendors of modernist vintage furniture. Bonus points: they are women-owned and sell beautiful vintage clothing too! Sure to transform your home, some singular pieces that stand out are this glossy rose credenza, this extremely affordable three-piece sectional by American designer John Mascheroni, and this burl laminate console.

Founded by partners in 2020, this NYC-based shop offers curbside delivery, which is reason enough to run, (not walk), to their Instagram page. If this fact and their pieces weren’t enough to convince you, supporting a family-owned LatinX new business should be another cherry on top. They’re known for their lacquered bedroom sets and credenza pieces that are constantly cycling through their inventory.

Goodhouse NYC is a trans-and woman-owned shop based in Brooklyn, New York. Their Instagram page is littered with postmodern goodies and really fun pieces that will lighten up any space. Make it rain Cesca and check out their reupholstered Cesca seating with a blue and white checker or a black and white bouclé pattern.

Founded by Su Beyazit, the co-owner of the now defunct Relationships café, this furniture store exists between a beautiful Greenpoint showroom and retail shops in Fort Greene and Bushwick. Along with the Danish and Italian classics are some unequaled Art Deco and Drexel treats, and customers can shop for furniture while getting a tarot reading. You’ll have to hunt through posts to snag some great seating deals, or head to their website to find pieces like the Caterpillar or more well known Cantilever Chair.

Nice Modern Design needs no handle to their name. Their Instagram shop is exactly how it sounds, and their bio touts “nice things for nice people.” Photographed with the backdrop of Brooklyn streets, Nice Modern Design’s solid pieces will add some weight to your home design with niche designer drops from Leon Posen, Sven Ellekjaer, or Niels Gammelgaard for IKEA.

If you’re in the market for more tubular or earth-toned pieces and happen to be swinging through the Catskills, Long Weekend is the only place to be. This vintage furniture and homeware store is passionate about giving objects a second life and connecting shoppers to ethically produced furniture that can help make a home your home. They offer great rental prices on exquisite pieces as well if you’re nearby. They also have unique hybrid designs such as these Cesca-Arcadia chairs and this handmade log side table.

Mi Floret, with a similarly veined aesthetic to The Apartment Life, has a beautiful collection in Paterson, New Jersey, as well as online. Her pieces are defined by balmy pinks and purples and Art Deco lines—a rarity in the vintage orbit on Instagram—and will send your fingers flying to her DMs. Otherworldly pieces like this waterfall coffee table or this seashell pedestal lamp are surefire ways to transform your space into another dimension.

Palm-American Vintage would likely be one of Julio Torres’s favorite stores. It has incredible objects (and less furniture!), but nonetheless has earned a spot on this list. Art Deco pieces—a rarity in the vintage orbit on Instagram—will send your fingers flying to her DMs. Lighting like this ’60s mushroom lamp or hand-blown Terence Conran piece are mesmerizing. The online store ships to locations in New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia.

Owned and operated by Goodwill, this is a vintage store that can only be described as “totally rad.” The store’s buyers bring the best stock from Goodwill to one location. The best part is you can purchase from their website, Etsy, or Depop, and pick up locally to save even more time. All profits go to Goodwill’s mission of providing job training and career services that help local residents with disabilities and disadvantages get to work.

Self-described as “one woman, one mission,” Betsu Studio’s team truly does the dirty work for you. They sort through the dustiest of thrift stores, estate sales, and auctions to bring a carefully sorted and well curated furniture collection of all styles. Their Philadelphia studio is housed in an old carpet mill and is open to the public by appointment as well as walk-in.

Jinxed is the closest thing to the Room of Requirement from the Harry Potter universe you’ll find. Overstacked with piles of goods, part of the fun in shopping here is all about chance and a good hunt for the right item. Their furniture pieces go fast but are posted frequently on their Instagram. More oddball pieces like this black velvet throne can be found, but there are some great staples as well. Any purchase from here is sure to add character to any space.

South

Primaried Studio, in Miami, is a vintage design showroom open only during weekends. Their beautiful, sunny spot is worth the visit and definitely should be at the top of your list if you’re looking to invest in a long-lasting, contemporary piece. Opened during the pandemic by Jonathan Sanchez-Obias, Primaried pumps out a colorful feed of Postmodern-and Memphis-style pieces. Check out his more rare items from designers such as Giotto Stoppino, Vladimir Kagan, Martin Visser, and Piero Lissoni.

Another hot shop in Miami featuring ocean-liner and whimsical floral motifs is Abigail Bell Vintage. Abby Campbell’s collection of vintage, secondhand, and contemporary furniture is even better when viewed in person, but you can also shop straight from her inspiring feed on Instagram—some of her customers include Alyssa Coscarelli, Imani Randolph, and AD’s own Sydney Gore. Find a new home for an iridescent ceramic lamp or up your tchotchke game with the endless bric-a-brac on her website.

This tail-wagging Instagram shop is a special page full of moderately priced furniture, home goods, and hand-crafted art. Shop Dogg Goods is based in Nashville, Tennessee, but ships anywhere within the U.S. The shop’s wares can range from products with space age vibes to vintage English-replica Maitland Smith pieces.

Save a horse and ride down to Part Time where you can get a similar mixture of midcentury modern and postmodern upcycled furniture. Owner Jenn Robin’s impeccable taste is clear from her shop and personal page. All sales are final, but good news is that you can DM for quotes (including shipping!) and it’s hard to go wrong. We’ve got a soft spot for this Vernor Panton–inspired mirror, and chocolate brown Syroco chair.

Midwest

Stop by Chair of Chair, in the Windy City, for both recognizably iconic chairs as well as some singularly unique pieces. The owner, DJ, has a passion for chairs and similar items, but be sure to stay tuned in to the shop’s Instagram stories—their hottest items sell quickly! Inquire for local delivery.

Doma Home is a special eatery and furniture store based in Chicago. Leave your expectations at home because you’re likely to leave Doma with a different piece of furniture from what you were looking for when you walked in. Go for the furniture and stay for the coffee, pastries, and vibes. Owner Eva Knezović’s impeccable taste is evident in the pieces on display, such as these tubular Italian Cantilever chairs, this bullnose coffee table, and these sweet Sof-Tek chairs for Thonet.

Pacific North West

To pair with your classic Togo sofa or Eileen Gray side table, Spaghetti Valley offers unique side tables and smaller home goods with shipping from their store in Arizona. Head to their Instagram page until their website is back up. They’ve sold Jerry Johnston-style chairs, teak Aldo Jacober chairs, as well as some less recognizable but equally beautiful bent glass pieces.

With a showroom in Portland open every weekend, Sunny Preston’s Midnight Sunlight is a great place to land for more modernist furniture and carefully restored antiques. Luckily, if you can’t make it to their store, they have a Chairish and Instagram page where you can DM to purchase—be sure to double-check shipping costs, depending on where you’re buying from.

In The Comfort Of is an Asian-American-owned store opened by Alana Tang, in Seattle, in 2019. They have some showstopping pieces like this MP-131 Percival Loafer sofa. In addition, Alana sets the bar as a businessperson and pays a monthly fee to Real Rent Duwamish, a grassroots organization standing in solidarity with the First Peoples of the Duwamish tribe.

West Coast

Ban Ban Studio is here to play! Owned by Jullie Nguyen, “ban ban” literally means “a friend’s table” and she wants the contemporary pieces in her shop to be centered around the conversation and sense of home that only vintage and special pieces can inspire. Stepping into her showroom in L.A., that sense of friendship and genuineness will light you up.

There’s no shortage of inventory at this woman-owned interior styling store. Pop Up Home was started by Tricia Benitez Beanum and recently moved into a larger, flexible space (15,000 square feet!) in the heart of Hollywood. While this move was partially to showcase more of her stunning thrifted pieces (this sectional makes our heart flutter), it was also meant to expand her art collective, UNREPD, which she started with partner Sarah Mantilla Griffin, in order to give space to LBGTQ, BIPOC, and nonbinary artists and collectors. When you buy furniture or art from Pop Up Home, you’re buying and supporting underrepresented artists and collectors.

Claude Home is Maggie Holladay’s brainchild: She turned her “tchotchke-hoarding” habit into a contemporary vintage and furniture design company. By working with Italian and French dealers, she’s able to obtain classic pieces alongside her unique curatorial collection of organically influenced forms. She’s also passionate about selling furniture from emerging artists and up-and-coming studios.

Everyone comes to a point in their life when they’re in need of a solid, sturdy, and beautiful dresser. If you’re in Los Angeles, Vintage on Point is the place to end your search. If you can’t make it to their main warehouse on Olympic, you can head to their Instagram page, where you can purchase and ship (at your own risk!). They give a careful renewal to restored pieces like this toasted loveseat with sherpa upholstery or this 1960s walnut and oak dresser.

Hand curated by Emily Rose Watkins, Retrodeo is an L.A.-based vintage shop that can only be accessed on Instagram. With over 21,000 followers and new pieces constantly coming in, you’ll be sure to find a lot of one-of-a-kinds thrown in with the shop’s overall Memphis-style assortment. If you’re looking for that perfect Beetlejuice dining room aesthetic, this is the place to be.

With furniture so well photographed, you’ll have a hard time choosing. Guava Ice Vintage is a smaller, online shop with a presence in San Diego and Los Angeles. It’s pickup-only for the time being but stay tuned as this small business grows. Reasonably priced items, such as this Art Deco bar cart, are interspersed among the likes of better known pieces.

Set in a three-story mansion from the ’40s, Decada is in Mexico City’s Polanco neighborhood. The owners, Cecilia Tena and Lucía Corredor, travel the world to import their finds back to their beloved shop. Catch their encompassing 2022 catalogue to find upscale pieces from the likes of Ole Wanscher, Arthur Umanoff, and George Nelson.