All Places

Mid-century inspired art One of only two retail boutiques (the other, in West Hollywood) dedicated solely to artist SHAG‘s distinctive modernist, hipster art, this fun immersive gallery offers a large selection of limited edition prints as well as awesome SHAG merchandise including Tikis, towels, handbags, books and much more! Located in the Uptown Design District next to TRIO restaurant. Fun Read more...

Residential tropical modernism An exceptionally well preserved example of mid-century Hawaiian tropical modernism, the Liljestrand House was designed and built in 1952 by noted Hawaiian modernist architect Vladimir Ossipoff for Betty & Howard Liljestrand and sits on a terraced parcel of secluded forest reserve on Mount Tantalus overlooking Honolulu. Many of the interiors and furnishings were also designed by Ossipoff and have been Read more...

Mid-century popular culture In the early 1950s the Kefauver Committee hearings on organized crime took place in 14 U.S. cities, including  – and especially – in Las Vegas. Hearings were held at the Federal Courthouse and Post Office building, which, although designed in the neoclassical style and not mid-century modern, is one of the few historically significant structures left in Read more...

Mid-century/desert modern houses Designed by William Krisel (Palmer & Krisel) in the early 1960s for Robert & Helene Alexander of the influential Alexander Construction Co., this luxurious family home was uniquely comprised of 4 floating circular pavilions on three levels under one boomerang shaped roof. State-of-the-art electronics, which would make The Jetson’s proud, were also installed to control indoor/outdoor lighting, temperature and irrigation. Located Read more...

Mid-century brutalist buildings Designed by noted architect Arthur Erickson in 1973 for the province’s Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, this stunning concrete and glass brutalist monument was originally designed as a 50-story high-rise until a change in provincial government rejected that plan. Erickson re-conceived the building as a 7-story horizontal high-rise; part of the ground-breaking Robson Square complex spanning Read more...

Vintage mid-century fashion For fashions from the 1950s through to the 1980s, this cozy consignment boutique (formerly Deja Vu) features genuine retro clothing from Palm Springs’ heyday representing the desert lifestyle. Women will find everything from casual dresses and footwear to sparkly gowns for that special event, while men will enjoy the swanky resort wear shirts and snazzy sports jackets from the Read more...

Mid-century accommodations With no signage out front, this property is easy to miss. Which is the point. Unlike its sister hotel, the Orbit In, which boasts a retro “rat pack” vibe, The Hideaway is private, serene and the perfect place to relax if you’re not into the poolside party scene. Located in the heart of the Historic Tennis Club neighborhood, The Read more...

Mid-century accommodations The Burrard Motor Inn, centrally located in downtown Vancouver across from St. Paul’s Hospital, opened its doors to guests in 1956 as a typical 3-story, garden courtyard-style motel. Today, now known as The Burrard, its a hip, retro boutique hotel that’s been freshened up a lot since the days of Elvis and The Beatles, yet still retains that Read more...

Mid-century vintage furniture Permanently Closed, as of May 26, 2024 If you happen to find yourself in the Vancouver suburb of Richmond, specifically the fishing village of Steveston – also known as Storybrooke on the TV series Once Upon a Time – then drop into this cozy little shop and you may come away with more than just a fairytale Read more...

Hawaiiana & mid-century collectibles Drop by this shop on any given day and you’ll find owner Ken Furukawa talking story with his customers. An avid collector, Ken has filled this double storefront with an awesome assortment of vintage collectibles and Hawaiiana including Aloha shirts, carvings, lamps and surf culture goodies as well as other mid-century items like toys, glassware and Read more...

Mid-century Americana A curated collection of hand-picked, unique items – mostly American made – is what you’ll find at Swag Antiques; classic items from turn-of-the-century to mid-century modern and beyond. Their downtown corner store is filled with tin and neon signs featuring classic American advertising, 1950s & 60s soda pop, ice cream and bakery items and antique telephones & radios among Read more...

Mid-century modern buildings This 12 block area in Honolulu’s Old Town and Chinatown – bordered by N. Beretania, Bishop, Nimitz and the Nu’uanu river – boasts a lot of architecture from the end of the 19th century and is home to a vibrant arts scene including many galleries, restaurants, clubs and theaters. Among the area’s mostly 1 and 2-story commercial Read more...

Mid-century vintage automobiles THIS ATTRACTION WAS CLOSED AS OF JANUARY 2018 Hidden all the way at the back of The Linq Hotel & Casino, up the parking garage elevator to the 5th floor, is the world’s largest vintage automobile showroom… and it’s worth the trip (and $13.00 admission price) if that’s what you’re into. This 125,000 sq ft. space boasts Read more...

Mid-century churches A good chunk of Honolulu’s modern infrastructure was built after the Second World War resulting in what seems to be more modernist churches per capita than most American cities. We singled out this big modernist beauty – as opposed to including it in our other [growing] church listings – because it’s so readily accessible to visitors staying in Read more...

Mid-century art Located downtown in the historic La Plaza district, at the corner of Arenas and S. Indian Canyon, this large gallery holds a treasure trove of fine art from the mid-century; an eclectic collection of original paintings, sculptures and more by some of America’s most renowned modernists and impressionists (and international artists) including the likes of Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Joan Read more...

Vintage mid-century collectibles With over 10,000 sq. ft. and a variety of 40 vendors selling their wares, Sin City Pickers is worth a look. They’ve got custom-made steampunk items, vintage toys, retro fashions, mid-century (and earlier) furniture, Tiki collectibles and a dedicated floor for original art by local Vegas artists. Bryan Goodman and Jason T. Smith, from Spike TV’s “The Thrift Hunters” Read more...

Mid-century accommodations Originally opened in 1955, this fashionable boutique hotel has been restored to its former glory and then some; a private Oasis for young modern scenesters just north of the Uptown Design District. Rooms surround a central pool area with beautiful mountain views and have been updated with modern furnishings & amenities, while complimentary breakfast is served daily. No Read more...

Mid-century modern buildings The International [Island] Style is on display at the Shinshu Kyokai Mission Dormitory on S. Beretania Street in Honolulu’s old Pawa’a neighborhood. Completed in 1961, this Robert Katsuyoshi designed residential building – which houses students from all over the world – is comprised of an L-shaped rectilinear low rise with wood slat louvered window openings and an Read more...

Mid-century/brutalist buildings A series of low lying, linear, Brutalist structures so well integrated into their surroundings atop Burnaby Mountain that one might think they were placed there centuries ago by an alien race (or by a Hollywood set designer), Simon Fraser University is quite a sight…and quite a site! At once ancient and futuristic, the campus plan was designed by Read more...

Mid-century/contemporary furniture If you don’t mind owning a knock-off, Rove Concepts could save you a lot of money. Manufactured in China, these imitation pieces don’t have the cache that a vintage original would but with a little creative mixing and matching who’ll ever know? Their showroom is located in the Fairview Slopes neighborhood, 2 blocks north of Broadway near the bottom Read more...

Retro diner & memorabilia Including a restaurant on our vintage shopping page may not be an obvious choice, but this popular 1950s-style diner in the middle of busy Waikiki also stocks and sells a lot of mid-century memorabilia. Jukebox music along with classic burgers, fries & shakes share space with vintage popular culture collectibles including rare and highly coveted original Marilyn Read more...

Retro mid-century apparel If retro, rockabilly and pin-up is your thing, then Rockin’ Bettie is the store for you. A cute little fashion boutique specializing in brand new retro styles by designers with names like Daddy O’s and Peanuts, Rockin’ Bettie also carries unique retro-style shoes, accessories and homewares. They even have a studio in the back where dames and Read more...

Vintage mid-century furniture Arguably, downtown’s first business dedicated to mid-century modern vintage, this large store has it all; history, style and a 1950s pink kitchen display to die for. From mid-century ceramics and clocks to modern art and vintage finds that would make your grandmother proud, they stock historically significant pieces and also offer short term rentals. As if that Read more...

Vintage fashion & decor The thrift store to end all thrift stores, the majority of  Revivals vintage merchandise – which includes retro furniture, housewares and clothing – comes from donations and consignments. They are also, largely, a volunteer-run operation which enables them to contribute the majority of their proceeds towards the Desert AIDs Project, which is a great reason to Read more...

Located at the corner of N Palm Canyon Drive and W Racquet Club Rd., this 11,000 sq. ft. showroom boasts an ever-changing collection of midcentury classics and eclectic ephemera that should satisfy any vintage picker. From the 1950s to the 1980s and everything inbetween, you’ll find well priced, unique items at Re[x], including wall hangings, rugs, pop culture items, Blenko Read more...

Vintage mid-century antiques Voted best vintage/retro furniture store in Vancouver (2015) by readers of the Georgia Straight, this fun, busy Main Street location is packed so full of mid-century treasures that you’re bound to find something you can’t live without. Even film industry set decorators are frequent customers, and for good reason, Refind Home Furnishings boasts classics, kitsch, Tiki and Read more...

Mid-century modern buildings & art Currently home to the Vancouver Opera and Ballet BC, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (1959) was the result of an international architectural competition held by the City in the mid 1950s when Vancouver asserted itself as a major player on the world’s cultural stage. The winning Montreal firm of Affleck, Desbarats, Dimakopoulos, Lebensold, Sise  used period Read more...

Mid-century/desert modern houses The Alexander Construction Company almost single handedly changed the face of Palm Springs between 1955-1965, building nearly 2,500 post & beam mid-century modern homes and doubling the city’s population in the process. These modern homes have since been dubbed the “Alexanders,” a large portion of which were built near the popular Racquet Club and were spearheaded by architect William Read more...

Housing the world’s largest collection of vintage pinball machines under one 10,000 sq. ft.  roof, the Pinball Hall of Fame is really a pop culture museum of sorts showcasing hundreds of machines dating back to the 1950s… and they all work! From classic penny drop machines like “Skill Roll” to the 1960s Apollo space program-inspired “Lunar Shot,” this arcade/museum delivers Read more...

Mid-century/desert modern buildings The desert can be a spiritual place. For modernist architects William F. Cody, E. Stewart Williams, Albert Frey, and others, each borrowed from their surroundings to create unique and inspiring mid-century places of worship, be it from personal inspiration or the materials they used for construction. Corresponding photos are above… just click on addresses below for Google Map Read more...

Mid-century modern buildings Currently known as the Kaheka Professional Center, this modernist mid rise office building at the corner of S. King and Kaheka streets was designed by architect Ernie Hara in 1956 and was Honolulu’s very first curtain wall  structure. Hara breaks up the glass and aluminum facade, though – typical of the International Style – by incorporating sleek, horizontal Read more...

Mid-century vintage diners/bars Las Vegas’ original 24-hour coffee shop and ultra lounge has been serving up huge portions and stiff drinks for over 40 years. An offshoot of Reno’s Peppermill & Lounge when it opened across the street from the formerly iconic Stardust Hotel & Casino (rest in peace) in 1972, this place was an instant hit with Strip performers and Read more...