Spring Shopapalooza
Vintage Market Days Showcases 100+ Artisans, Unique Items
By Amy Morgan
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Girls just want to have fun! Ladies, grab your gals and mark your calendars for Vintage Market Days. The Spring Market is a three-day vintage-inspired shopping event April 5-7 featuring unique items curated from the best artisans, designers, and pickers from across the country. You’ll find everything you need to refresh your world this spring! Vintage Market Days’ Early Buying Event Friday runs from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., General Admission, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sunday.
Kathy Sims and her husband, Mark, have been bringing the vintage experience to northwest San Antonio since 2018. The San Antonio Rose Palace, better known as George Strait’s roping arena, is located just a few miles northwest of the Rim on Boerne Stage Road outside Leon Springs. Kathy hopes one of these years to see George strolling down their aisles, although no sightings so far, she reported.
While Kathy has yet to convince George to sing, the event does feature live music throughout the day played by local oldies band Acquiescence, so shoppers can groove to their favorites to keep their energy up as they shop until they drop. “I cannot listen to them without swaying,” Kathy enthused. “They play great music.”
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More than 100 shops will spread throughout the 100,000 square feet of the Rose Palaces’ two arenas. Unlike other weekend markets, Vintage Market Days’ vendors build and outfit complete stores in their 20x20 foot booths. “Architectural salvage, woodcraft, vintage collectors’ items, interesting things they have picked along the way — they bring it all and will help you find the perfect thing for your home,” Kathy said. Other artisans will build custom furniture or outfit a mud room. Boutiques offer one-of-a-kind pieces and beautiful handmade jewelry.
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“There’s a lot of great shopping you are not going to find anywhere else,” she said. Hot right now is the “forever” jewelry that friends purchase together to commemorate an event. Groups of women come from all over — some even have special t-shirts made to match. “This is their outing! We are truly an experience in a relaxed environment where you can shop with your girls and make memories. You will find distinctive things for your home, garden, and closet. Our 20-foot aisles are not cramped or crowded. Come out for the day and play and find those special things you never knew you needed!” Kathy invited.
“The energy and the food are great,” she said. Speaking of eats, local trucks offer barbecue, walking tacos, brisket stuffed baked potatoes, donuts, funnel cakes, shaved ice, and of course, coffee, along with other gourmet items.
Smart shoppers purchase their tickets online to take advantage of several VIP perks, like early event access and automatic double registration for door prizes, raffle and giveaways. While goodies like candles, food, jewelry, and gift certificates are announced every hour, one lucky registrant will win a grand prize of certificates and merchandise worth $500 Friday and Saturday. Drawings are held at 1 p.m., and the winner must be physically present. The first 25 ticket holders in line each day also receive a VMD Market Tote stuffed with coupons, gifts and Vintage Market Day Cash. So, word to the wise — come early and stay until at least 1 p.m.!
Kathy and her daughter, Shauna Wardlaw, first became acquainted with Vintage Market Days as vendors themselves. They ran a vintage home goods booth that revitalized and flipped furniture. Her favorite pieces were cabinet-sized radios that she’d reinvent as wine cabinets. “I’d paint them and bring them back to life,” Kathy said. “I love unloved furniture.” They attended events all over the country, but when her first granddaughter was born, Kathy felt “highly motivated to get off the road and stabilize in one place.” She purchased the San Antonio and the Central Texas Vintage Market Days franchises and began to make them her own. Her daughter owns the South Houston Market and partners with Kathy to bring “the fresh and young ideas,” she said.
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Because Vintage Market Days is a small, family-owned business, they are able to give back to local non-profit Love Kendall County Kids and K-LOVE’s San Antonio affiliate. They donate a portion of the event proceeds to Love Kendall County Kids as well as provide them exposure to the Vintage Market Days’ 6000+ (and growing) customer base as they run the bag check program for donations. Love Kendall County Kids fills gaps for children like summer camp, meals and beds. Vintage Market Days also partners with Humanitix for online tickets. Humanitix donates 100% of their profits to supporting children in need — more than $4 million to date, Kathy reported.
“Our favorite thing about being a part of Vintage Market Days is that it is a conglomeration of small businesses that come together twice a year with the goal of bringing the season’s best to our customers,” she said. “Our vendors are Christian people running small family businesses following their creative passions and supporting their families through the products they sell.”
So, feel great as you update! Support local small businesses, kids in need, AND make memories with
your besties.
