Local vintage dealers and shop owners find pieces with stories to tell.
Royal De Luxe Vintage Clothing
“The history of clothing is really the history of the United States of America,” said Todd Beckwith, as the vintage clothing expert sifted through racks in his Redmond showroom curated with embroidered gabardine bowling shirts, thick Cowichan sweaters, 1930s Harley-Davidson belts and World War II flight jackets. One jacket was worn by an Army Air Forces bomber crew. “That jacket dropped bombs over Germany,” he said, “and it ended up in a trunk at a woman’s yard sale.”
With multiple warehouses in Central Oregon, the owner of Royal De Luxe, a true vintage fashion company, is one of the industry’s most prolific collectors. “I try to have such a selection that it’s overwhelming to people,” said Beckwith. Instead of offering just a handful of American-made vintage Levi’s 501s, he wants shoppers to choose from dozens. Beckwith also supplies wholesale inventory to many Central Oregon vintage shops and spends nearly 11 months preparing for his annual pop-up at Coachella. He also sells at Stagecoach and the National Finals Rodeo Cowboy Christmas in Las Vegas.
Along the way, his client list has grown to include Brad Pitt, Billie Eilish and Justin Trudeau, while local shoppers can find his collection at his downtown Bend pop-up inside Casa de Stela or by appointment. Every piece comes from a pawnshop, a thrift store, a garage sale, an estate sale or an antique store, but might make its way to Melrose Avenue. Beckwith also retails at Fred Segal.
“I’m a real picker. I’m a denim dog. I love the hunt. It requires traveling all the time,” said Beckwith. “You leave at 8 a.m. on a Thursday and go to the Grange Supply store in Burns.”
The longtime La Pine resident is also an encyclopedia of American fashion knowledge. Beckwith can trace Levi Strauss to the California Gold Rush, explain Carhartt’s 1889 beginnings in Detroit, or connect Henry Ford’s famous $5 workday to the moment clothing became more accessible to ordinary Americans. “Instead of being able to afford just one coat, now you could get the brown, you could get the twill, you could get the hickory,” said Beckwith. “It’s really a part of how this country grew.”
Beckwith, who was raised between San Francisco and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, began thrifting as a teenager and has shod horses as a farrier for more than 40 years. “I grew up with Dickies, Ben Davis and Levi’s. So, cowboy and every kind of other culture on the planet,” said Beckwith.
Rather than discard damaged pieces, he repairs and rehabs them by cropping jackets and adding patches. He also transforms 1950s Beacon robes into jackets inspired by one worn by Robert Redford in Jeremiah Johnson. High-end fashion labels such as Ralph Lauren’s Double RL may reproduce the look, but nothing compares to the original. “I think it’s cooler when you get the real thing,” said Beckwith.
Back among the racks, he paused to pull out a mint-condition gabardine Western shirt Gene Autry might have worn. “Someone loved it, right?” said Beckwith. “I feel like it’s my responsibility to
keep caring about this thing and send it down the road.”
Follow Todd Beckwith at Vanilla Gorilla Vintage(opens in new tab) and Todd at Royal De Luxe Essential Vintage(opens in new tab) | See Warehouse by Appointment Only: 541-639-1661
Casa de Stela Vintage Clothing in Bend
Casa de Stela co-owner Jess Bercovici has chased vintage finds since her teenage years in Los Angeles, when she and her sister built entire wardrobes by shopping Jet Rag’s legendary dollar sales. “I always had my foot in vintage,” said Bercovici. “There’s something to be said about having a pair of jeans that have been worn in by somebody else for 40 years,” she said. “That wash can can’t be replicated.”
After years of producing clothing with artisans overseas, Bercovici met Beckwith and found a partner who shared her appreciation for authentic Americana.
Today, the boutique blends carefully selected vintage with contemporary fashion, making it easy to see how vintage pieces can fit into a modern wardrobe. The shop stocks more than 300 pairs of vintage Levi’s, sourced by Beckwith, alongside French workwear, floaty Casa de Stela floral dresses and Le Bon cotton cardigans. “I’m constantly hunting for that perfect 1950s leather jacket,” said Bercovici. She stocks buckskin rodeo jackets, buttery suede bombers and even rare heirloom pieces, such as a hand-beaded jacket from the 1920s valued at $1,200.
She and Beckwith have begun offering Selects, private appointments for clients searching for specific vintage pieces. “Finding that unique fringe jacket that no one else is going to have—that’s what makes it special,” said Bercovici.
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Good Bad Rad Vintage in Bend
There’s a big difference between a thrift store and a vintage shop, says Good Bad Rad Vintage owner Jenna Pauley. To be called vintage, items must be at least 20 years old. Unlike thrift stores filled with donated goods, every piece in the vintage marketplace on SE 3rd Street has been hand-selected by one of 22 vendors. Clothing and home goods are thoughtfully sourced, cleaned, repaired and restored before ever reaching the sales floor, giving shoppers an edited collection instead of racks to sort through.
Good Bad Rad is a destination for long dresses from the ’70s, suede skirts, vintage sportswear, festival fashion and everything in between. “I love vintage clothing because it allows you to show your personality instead of being told what’s fashionable.”
For fall, Pauley, a third-generation vintage and antique dealer, has collected flannels, sweaters and warm jackets. Pauley believes vintage fashion is thriving in Central Oregon because locals support small businesses. “I love that all of the vintage stores in town are different,” said Pauley. “Having a vendor-based store allows us to offer something for everyone.”
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Old Boy Vintage in Bend
Step inside Old Boy Vintage and it’s easy to lose track of time. Housed in a former automotive garage built in 1915, the Bend shop on Greenwood Avenue with brick walls showcases a wide range of vintage clothing. “People who are new to it and want to find out more are blown away by the fact that we take clothes that are 30-plus years old, we save them, fix them up, and bring them back to life,” said owner Ezra Watson.
Watson’s collection spans decades, with everything from Western wear and Hawaiian shirts to turquoise jewelry and vintage children’s clothing. Watson feels like a treasure hunter when he finds items such as a pair of pale blue Lucchese ostrich leather cowboy boots and a 1950s University of Oregon varsity jacket with its original Duck patch.
Some museum-worthy pieces—a tie from a NASA employee who worked on the Apollo 11 mission, an original City of Bend sign from the 1920s, and a 1949 Central Oregon Community College sweatshirt Watson and his girlfriend discovered at a flea market in Yokohama, Japan—aren’t for sale.
“It is rare to see a garment last for 50, 70 years,” said Watson. “When you do come across something like that, it gives you motivation to continue looking and continue searching.” Watson also supplies vintage garments to fashion designers looking for authentic inspiration.
For him, vintage is ultimately about expressing individuality, whether it’s a 1970s prairie-style dress or a pair of baggy JNCO jeans. “I feel like fashion is becoming more of a thing in Bend, and we’re super happy to be a part of that,” said Watson.
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Big Chief Vintage in Sisters
Big Chief Vintage’s new location in Sisters occupies a historic building that once housed a hardware store in the 1940s and later a Native American art gallery. Pendleton jackets hang beside Navajo blankets, antique saddlebags and bear skin coats. Every corner reflects owner Mike Davis’ story and interests.
The co-founder of the Born-Free Motorcycle Show in California and its Texas counterpart, Davis has built a career around selling vintage motorcycles. His experiences and expertise shape the shop’s distinctive mix of motorcycle culture and Western heritage. “I buy what I like,” he said. “I don’t necessarily buy what sells.”
Davis moved into the larger space in June, giving him room to display everything from 19th-century buffalo-hide jackets and Angora wooly chaps to vintage Harley-Davidson and Triumph T-shirts. One prized Triumph tee, identical to one Bob Dylan wore in a 1965 photo shoot, took Davis three decades to find. “You will never find another one of these,” he said.
The shop’s name and logo are also personal. Davis, who is half Cherokee, wanted Big Chief Vintage to honor Native history while capturing the spirit of the old trading posts that inspired the store. “The word ‘chief’ is not a bad word,” he said. “It’s a powerful word. It’s a respectful word.”
Look at the crowd mixing at Big Chief Vintage, from musicians to tourists visiting from Japan, and it’s clear Big Chief Vintage is more than a retail space; it’s an immersive experience. “I don’t treat it as a business, which is terrible,” Davis said with a laugh. “It’s a personal hobby.”
[Click the left and right arrows on the image below to see more Big Chief Vintage images by Cody Rheault]
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Revival Vintage in Bend
Inside Revival Vintage on Bend’s west side, racks invite shoppers to step into another era, whether they’re searching for a statement coat, a Victorian treasure, or the perfect outfit for a 1920s-themed party.
“I think we’re looking for anything to remind us of the good old days,” said owner Shasta DeArmond, who opened Revival Vintage in 2019 and moved to the location off of Galveston Avenue in 2024. “When people walk into my shop, their eyes light up.”
Older shoppers reminisce as they browse, while younger visitors hunt for one-of-a-kind items they won’t find anywhere else.
“I’ll get a lot of people who have never walked in here, but they’re shopping for a costume, and they need help styling for a specific outfit,” said DeArmond. “They leave here beaming because they were originally going to buy something off Amazon.”
DeArmond says about 60% of the store’s inventory comes from consignment, with each piece carefully chosen. “When people ask what I’m looking for, I tell them, ‘Anything dope,’” she said. “Does it look cool? Does it have great texture? Is it colorful?”
DeArmond specializes in fur and faux fur coats, particularly trench-length styles perfect for concerts, festivals and nights out. Showstoppers in the store, decorated with stained-glass light fixtures, include a geometric 1960s mink coat, a tapestry jacket with zippered pockets, and rare Victorian- and Edwardian-era garments such as a bodice with a beaded rooster design. “They don’t make anything like they used to, so it’s not just cheap old clothing. It’s better quality than what a lot of stores make today,” said DeArmond.
For her, vintage offers more than sustainable fashion. It gives people the chance to express themselves through pieces with history.
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Vintage Shopping in Central Oregon: What to Know Before You Go
What’s the difference between vintage and thrift?
According to Good Bad Rad Vintage owner Jenna Pauley, vintage pieces are at least 20 years old. Unlike a thrift store filled with donated goods, vintage shops typically offer pieces that have been individually sourced, cleaned, repaired or restored before reaching the sales floor.
Where can I shop for vintage clothing in Central Oregon?
Bend is home to Casa de Stela, Good Bad Rad Vintage, Old Boy Vintage and Revival Vintage, along with a Royal De Luxe pop-up inside Casa de Stela. Big Chief Vintage is located in Sisters, and Royal De Luxe also has a showroom in Redmond.
What kinds of vintage pieces can I find around Bend?
A little bit of everything. The shops featured here carry finds ranging from vintage Levi’s, Western wear and 1970s dresses to cowboy boots, fur coats, workwear, motorcycle T-shirts and rare garments dating back to the Victorian and Edwardian eras.
Can I get help hunting down a specific vintage piece?
Yes. Royal De Luxe and Casa de Stela offer Selects, private appointments for clients looking for specific vintage pieces. Revival Vintage also helps shoppers style outfits for specific occasions, including themed parties.
Why shop vintage instead of buying something new?
For these Central Oregon shop owners, it’s about more than nostalgia. Vintage offers a way to wear something distinctive, extend the life of existing clothing and preserve pieces that may have already survived for decades.
What’s the secret to finding something great?
Keep an open mind. As Revival Vintage owner Shasta DeArmond puts it, her criteria can be as simple as: “Anything dope.” Sometimes the best vintage find is the piece you weren’t looking for.
