OCEAN SHORES, Wash. — The owner of Nate's Vintage usually gets one of two reactions when folks walk into his store in Ocean Shores.
"One guy was like, 'Oh this should be a museum!’” he said.
Or he gets:
"What the hell are you tryin' to do here????"
What Nate Hamilton and his wife Mardi are trying to do here is have some fun — they left Seattle for Ocean Shores in 2020 and turned an old antique store into a vibey vintage space that's complete sensory overload. Anyone who enjoyed hitting vintage stores during their heyday in the 80s will linger long in this place.
“I wish we had a camera at our front door to capture people’s reactions when they walk in,” Mardi said.
They made the move from the city to the Grays Harbor area for one simple reason.
"We intended to have more joy in our lives and we do. It's amazing how much fun we have, it's really not work, we have fun!” Mardi said.
Nate keeps an eye on things behind the counter, Mardi designs the displays,
and they both pick the coast for fabulous finds. If you need a Chewbacca with a drink hat or a clown bike while in Ocean Shores, Nate's is your place.
Best sellers? Vintage ashtrays, religious artifacts, rock and roll t-shirts, and aloha shirts. There are also some pieces of Pacific Northwest pop culture here, like a neon Rainier R, some classic Olympia Beer ware, and we even spotted a 90s vintage KING Mike doll.
Whether you're browsing, or buying, everything here is a colorful blast from somebody's past waiting to be rediscovered on the Washington coast.
"Just come and enjoy, Nate said. "I get old-timers, one guy was in tears, he’s like, ‘It reminds me of my childhood!’”
Nates Vintage 339 Damon Rd., Ocean Shores, WA 98569 (360) 940-776.
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