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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...

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...

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 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...

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 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...

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/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...

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 accommodations Although mid-century modern, specifically, isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the stylish Parker Palm Springs, the hotel actually began its evolution in 1959 as California’s first Holiday Inn. Purchased two years later by cowboy actor Gene Autry, the Melody Ranch, as he called it, changed hands in the 1990s and was converted to Read more...

Mid-century accommodations Built in the 1930s and expanded to its current footprint in the early 1950s, The Palm Springs Rendezvous (originally known as the Mira Loma) served as a haven for Hollywood stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Veronica Lake and Gloria Swanson back in the day. Today, 10 updated modern themed rooms, with a “tip of the hat” to the Read more...

Mid-century accommodations The Riviera Hotel opened in 1959 and was an instant hit, quickly attracting Hollywood’s elite and becoming the place to see and be seen during the swinging 1960s. The likes of Elvis Presley, Desi Arnaz and Sonny & Cher all stayed or performed at The Riviera. After several years of decline, however, the iconic hotel was renovated and Read more...

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...

Mid-century residential buildings Located southwest of downtown and bordered by the waterfront, Georgia Street, Burrard Street and Denman Street – although historically, everything “West of Denman” is also considered the West End – this neighborhood’s landscape is ripe with mid-century architecture as well as construction from the turn-of-the-century… the turn of both centuries! The last 150-odd years have seen posh mansions, row Read more...

Hawaiiana & vintage mid-century Off the beaten track, Then & Now is more of a warehouse than a storefront but worth seeking out for vintage mid-century collectibles and Hawaiiana. Located in the town of Kaneohe on Oahu’s windward side, in the light blue warehouse complex directly across from Windward Auto Spa and next to Kikuya Japanese Restaurant and Willie’s Auto Read more...

Tiki Culture/Polynesian Pop For fans of Polynesian Pop, stepping into an authentic Tiki bar is like riding a time machine back to the 1950s or 60s, and although there’s little trace left of the Stardust Hotel & Casino’s famous Aku Aku  Polynesian-themed restaurant & cocktail lounge (or any other vintage  Vegas Tiki bar for that matter), there are fortunately two really Read more...

Tiki Culture/Polynesian Pop If you’re a Tikiphile and looking to get your Polynesian Pop on, Vancouver has a couple of options… The Shameful Tiki Room (4362 Main Street ) – Situated in the heart of eclectic Main Street where you could easily do some vintage shopping before dropping in for a tropical cocktail or pupus, this lively yet intimate place is relatively new but Read more...

Tiki Culture/Polynesian Pop For modernists who like to mix a little Polynesian Pop with their desert getaways, Palm Springs has a few Tiki bars that won’t disappoint. Even though they aren’t from the mid-century each boasts enough vintage flair – not to mention potent, colorful cocktails – that it won’t matter what decade you’re in by the end of the evening. Read more...

Hawaiiana & mid-century collectibles This shop is filled with vintage, retro, rare and collectable Hawaiian ephemera such as maps, fruit labels, advertising art, hula dolls, pin-up girls, postcards, Tikis, ashtrays, Polynesian restaurant menus, jewelry, movie posters, books and Aloha wear… and that’s barely scratching the surface! If Hawaiiana is your thing we highly recommend the Tin Can Mailman, located in Read more...

Mid-century modern buildings Through a nondescript breezeway off N. Palm Canyon Drive, between Destination PSP and a bar & grill, you’ll discover an overlooked outdoor oasis of mixed-use retail, residential, and office space that has seen better days. Currently vacant, this pedestrian friendly outdoor courtyard – which occupies a large area between Palm Canyon & Indian Canyon Drives – is Read more...

Vintage mid-century fashion Many Vancouver vintage clothing stores have come and gone over the years but True Value Vintage has endured as one of the first and best places for mid-century fashion finery. Having relocated from downtown to its spacious Main Street location in 2011, they still pack ’em in by offering affordable ladies and gents gear and accessories from the 1950s – Read more...

Mid-century/desert modern houses The Alexander Construction Company (run by father & son team, George & Robert) 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 houses have since been dubbed the “Alexanders,” a majority of which were spearheaded by architect William Krisel Read more...

Mid-century buildings The campus at the University of British Columbia is a modernist’s dream, so pack a lunch and spend an afternoon getting schooled. Founded in 1908, UBC moved to its current Point Grey location in the 1920s where it began with only 3 permanent buildings. After World War II the student body tripled and continued to grow, as did new Read more...