Old School Cool Vintage Market Opens Mobile Thrift Store

One of Denver’s OG resellers, Lexi Wilson now sells vintage clothing and housewares out of an old trailer.

It’s not just an old trailer, though — it’s a 1970s Empire that Wilson renovated into a cozy retro boutique. And they’re not just any vintage goods: each piece is carefully curated by Wilson and other local vendors. 

The Old School Cool Vintage trailer is jam-packed with high-quality, hand–curated vintage: clothes and accessories from every decade, gadgets and housewares older than your grandpa (and in much better condition). Currently, the trailer doesn’t have a permanent home, and because it is, in fact, an operating trailer – Wilson can move it for pop-ups and events like her own recurring Old School Cool Vintage Market.

The trailer is just one part of Wilson’s larger involvement in the Denver vintage scene. After all, Wilson has been growing the Old School Cool Vintage concept for over a decade. 

Because Wilson was – as she puts it – “raised on secondhand,” she is a long-time member of the reseller community. She first began reselling in 2012, and began her vintage brand Lexi Goes Thrifting in 2014. 

“Definitely in an age group where it was embarrassing to wear thrifted clothes it was cool to reclaim that, especially in the early years of Instagram’s popularity with thrifting,” Wilson said.

When Wilson moved to Denver a couple of years later, she largely depended on Instagram to connect and network with other vintage lovers in the city. There, she met a few others with similar missions, namely Carlin of Thrifting Coups, Emma Williams of Sweet Bean Vintage and Designs and Lynelle of Denver Rummage Shop. 

Together, these women began hosting the Old School Cool Vintage Market, where resellers and other vendors could gather, connect and find new homes for their sick finds. 

The first official pop-up was held in early 2018. And, while pop-ups are a regular fixture in Denver’s current thrift scene, Wilson and the OSC crew were some of the first to put their racks of vintage on the streets of the city – predating even ThriftCon, Denver’s claim to thrift fame that began in 2019. 

READ: ThriftCon Returns to Denver And Hosts A Unique Thrifting Experience

Old School Cool Vintage Market was setting up their brick-and-mortar vintage collective–which would have been the first in Denver in March 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic derailed these plans.

Shortly after, Wilson was approached by the owner of Garage Sale Vintage to help open their original Larimer Square location. Wilson helped to run Garage Sale Vintage for two years before parting ways and turning back toward Old School Cool.

By going back to her Old School roots, Wilson is pursuing a lifestyle that will not only support her but also make her happy. 

“I was trying to find my dream job but I am in this weird lucky avenue where I have a chance to create my dream job,” She said. 

Wanting to put the vintage trailer she purchased during the pandemic to use, Wilson serendipitously found a parking lot with an open space in the heart of the city — home to a handful of other local vendors and artists. And so, they worked with her mother to renovate a 1970s Empire trailer into the ultimate traveling thrift shop. 

Now, the trailer is vintage maximalist heaven, as every inch screams retro: cheeky trinkets on the shelves, loudly patterned bags hanging from hooks on the RV’s stove. With magnets on the microwave and posters plastering the dressing room, Old School Cool Vintage strikes the perfect balance between cozy and insanely cool. 

As for the inventory, the trailer features Wilson’s curation of vintage goods alongside a rotating selection of Denver’s vintage vendors. Currently, the trailer features curations from Vintage High, Hott Stuff Supply, Yesterwear Goods and Lucky Bolo alongside Wilson’s handpicked pieces. 

As the winter months approach – the colder months, where the city will see less far foot traffic – Wilson hopes to highlight local vendors and allow them to take over the entire trailer for a more extended time. 

With this goal, Wilson is doing more than just selling good vintage. She’s fostering a sense of community among other resellers, and giving them a chance to see what it might be like to own their tiny storefront. 

As one of Denver’s OG resellers, Wilson is not new to this mission: her natural tendency toward creation and collaboration helped to lay the groundwork for Denver’s thriving thrift and community, which today relies heavily on pop-ups and unabashed support of fellow resellers. 

As such, Wilson has personally seen the Denver thrift community expand firsthand, recognizing Denver’s growing place on the map as an influence on the growing country-wide trend toward sustainable fashion. 

“I love the shift that’s happened here, definitely with the younger people, of secondhand first,” Wilson said. “I just think that whole notion just grew and grew.” 

In Denver’s vibrant vintage scene, Wilson’s Old School Cool Vintage Market is a living testament to her decade-long dedication. It’s not just a store; it’s a symbol of community and sustainability. Through the carefully curated selection and the cozy retro energy, Wilson not only celebrates the past but also nurtures a thriving space for local vendors. 

All photography by Lauren Black.