Vintage Marketplace — Attraction in Wilmington

I want to start this review with full disclosure… Until a few months ago when a family member’s declining health necessitated me returning to Michigan for the foreseeable future - I was a vendor at the Vintage Marketplace.

But I would really like to know - WHAT ON EARTH IS THE BIG DEAL ABOUT PLACING YOUR PURSE OR LARGER BAGS IN THE ADORABLE LOCKETS - with your own easy to carry around key? This is OBVIOUSLY nothing personal about any one person, and NO ONE IS SINGLED OUT. How can you be sure? The store owner went to the trouble of purchasing lockers, decorating them, getting individual keys made, and putting them on crystal bead bracelets. No store does that because they plan to single YOU out when you come in! If you see someone else with a purse - one thought might be that the individual person (yes, that large store often only has ONE person working - which means much of the store is basically “unattended” and can’t be seen) working at the time was helping someone else in another part of the store when they walked in. That’s all. Not about you. Not even a little bit. Is it to deter theft? Absolutely! We had things taken from us all the time - not from YOU specifically - but from someone. So by cutting down on the number of bags available to tuck things into - not yours, just in general - theft is reduced. Is that really such a huge sacrifice on your behalf to save myself, and the other vendors there, from having items we have shopped for, cleaned, repaired, curated, invested our money in, and brought to the store for your shopping pleasure, STOLEN? Although I loved what I did, it was my JOB - my INCOME I used to survive! To care for my children with. We can’t “lock everything up.” Do you really want to go into a store where everything is behind glass and you have to wait in line for someone to unlock the case, then stand there staring at you while you look at it? I like to interact with things, touch them, feel the weight, the fabric…I like to shop with my friends - not my friends and a store clerk staring at us who needs to rush and go lock 42 other cases for other people. PLEASE TELL ME - why is unburdening yourself of your purse, and leaving it under lock and key, and only YOU have the key such an insult? It is - as has been repeated over and over by the store owner - THE STORE POLICY!!! Meaning “EVERYONE.” ITS NOT ABOUT YOU! It’s about ME! And the other vendors there. And you helping us to reduce theft of our items, our livelihood. The owner is gracious and fair about enforcing the policy - meaning EVEN LONG TIME FRIENDS OF HERS WHO COME IN THE STORE PUT THEIR PURSES IN THE LOCKERS When I read these reviews complaining about the policy (which is also POSTED ON THE DOOR OF THE SHOP AS YOU ENTER) I can’t help but think people are becoming increasingly sure the world is all about them. It’s not. (Oh - and to the person who said someone in the store used the term “colored” in reference to black people - I am what you would consider a VERY PROGRESSIVE person on the political spectrum. Some others at the store are not nearly as liberal and progressive - but I would lay my life on the line that NO ONE there, store owner, employee, vendor, or regular customer - EVER used the word “colored” in reference to people with brown or black skin. Ever. That is an outright lie by someone who wanted to justify her own nastiness.) This is one of the most interesting, well-stocked and curated, treasure troves - not just in Wilmington - but of anywhere I have seen in North Carolina. If you let “purse separation anxiety” or PSA - deprive you of the shopping EXPERIENCE - that is the Vintage Marketplace - what a...

I hate to review this place as a two star as I have purchased many things in the past at this marketplace. My experince today made me walk out without purchasing anything nor do I ever want to return at this point. I had two out of town guests who wanted to visit the Ivy Cottage, however, I really felt they would enjoy the atmosphere and vintage products in this martlet place. We were considering serveral items and had only been in the store a short while when my 3 year old granddaughter said she needed to use the restroom. Market Street is a VERY BUSY street in Wilmington and there is no restroom that is easy to get to without cross traffic. One of my guests asked if we could take her to the restroom. The lady said “No, I don’t have a public restroom.” My guest then said, “Well do you have one as a customer I could take her.” (Many shops post “no public restrooms” but if there is a shopping customer they allow it and I have never had a child turned down for any restroom anywhere as everyone understands how hard it is for a 3 year old to hold it). My guest was respectful when she asked and the lady removed her glasses and said, “ I do not have a restroom.”

I gathered my other guest and as she had a customer purchasing something I said as we were headed out the door, “I’m really disappointed by that as she is only 3 years old and I’ve shopped here many times.” (I was respectful when I said it but hoping she might rethink it. I did not wait until the customer left as I did not want a 3 year to wet herself.) She threw her hands up and became irate saying well I’ll go clear the bathroom out, and I’ve got a customer” ! It was clear she was unreasonable and very irritated by the request. I did not stay as she continued and I needed to find a bathroom quickly.

I could understand if we had walked in and asked for a restroom. I could understand as an adult if it’s just me to some extent. I can not understand if it’s a small child, you have a restroom, you are shopping, and the quality of empathy, power of reasoning, and good business judgement normally moves someone to bend a policy that is bendable easily for good customers in this situation. Her response to the request was unreasonable. Not because I had to leave but more so because she was very interested in us as we looked at products we wanted to buy and so unkind about a restroom for a 3 year old. I’ve been here most of my life. Kindness and hospitality has always been our signature trait. It was not here today.

If you shop here do not bring little ones or make sure you will not have any reason to need a restroom for any reason as this will illicit an unreasonable response to a perfectly...

UPDATED REVIEW : We recently visited a vintage marketplace over the weekend and were instructed to place our child's small backpack into a locker. I completely understand the concern regarding a bag potentially knocking over valuable items, and I recognize that this business has unfortunately faced issues with theft recently. Therefore, it is entirely reasonable for them to enforce such rules, as it is their establishment and we are merely guests. However, what I found unacceptable was being followed around the store by another employee; that constitutes profiling. I assure you that I have no intention of stealing anything from your store or any other store for that matter. Please do not let my tattoos deceive you or judge me based on appearances! I operate my own antique business as a reseller, and my home is filled with antique treasures and collections; I am a passionate collector! It was quite shocking to witness the situation unfolding before me, and in my opinion, it was extremely unprofessional! UPDATED Regrettably, I am unable to reply to your response on Google! It appears that you did not fully comprehend my message! I am not referring to the incident involving the backpack; I explicitly stated that I understand your desire for customers to store their belongings in a locker, and I concur with that! My concern pertains to another employee who followed me around, which I clearly articulated in my review! I believe it is unjust for you to selectively address certain points while ignoring the entirety of my message! That gentleman, who is my husband, felt particularly singled out upon observing three other women carrying purses, which I believe would evoke similar feelings in anyone, thus justifying a sense of victimization in this context! I merely recounted my experience—perhaps instead of being overly defensive and quick to retaliate against someone who was polite, respectful, and understanding of your shop's rules, you should consider accepting constructive criticism! It is a fundamental human right to voice one's negative experiences within a professional...