From embracing the creativity and sustainability of various sellers and artists to providing a collaborative space where unique stories can shine, Collective Vintage has come back stronger than before, aiming to develop a social environment where nostalgia and hidden treasures are abundant.

Collective Vintage has grown to become one of the primary bar-vintage shops in Fort Collins, hosting various events that affordably highlight different artists and individuals within the vintage community. The Collective Vintage team hosts vintage markets in various venues that draw in vendors from a diverse array of backgrounds.

Molly Van Anne and Dryden Alberts are the current co-owners of Collective Vintage and officially moved into their newer and larger location in October 2024. Van Anne began reselling used clothing when she was a student at Colorado State University and got Alberts more involved with the marketing and brick-and-mortar process when they started dating.

Van Anne has enjoyed being able to provide affordable opportunities for local artists to be present in the space, making the bar-vintage shop a versatile and inclusive space.

Coming into the shop, there is a fairly big space for individuals to shop, grab a drink from the bar or relax in the lounge area. There is also an area allowing Collective Vintage to host different events that draw in various parts of the community.

“I want to see more people stepping out of their boundaries and seeing what is possible for them, whether it is getting into the reselling world or joining the markets to sell their art or their baked goods. My biggest thing is creating a platform and building a spot for people to come display their art and play their music.” -Dryden Alberts, Collective Vintage co-owner.

“It’s been really fun to help create the vintage community in Fort Collins,” Van Anne said. “It’s been a huge goal and pillar of ours to create a third space and a place where people can come and create community as well as finding an accessible way to do that.”

They have about 60 different vendors across Colorado and have implemented buy hours over the weekends for people to sell their vintage clothing to the shop.

Having recently moved into a larger location, they found the space to be beneficial in developing an experience alongside vintage shopping. The pair hosts events from live shows and open mics to art marts that showcase local artists.

“It’s a collaboration of all of the things that we love and enjoy in just one spot,” Alberts said. “The response has been really good.”

Alberts has seen how the community brings in various items that hold a form of nostalgic and sentimental value. It also helps to develop the vintage charm and DIY aspect of the shop.

“Hearing all of that history and the stories is really exciting,” Alberts said. “A lot of the people that we buy stuff off of end up coming back, and we get to build a (stronger) relationship.”

Marcus Quere got involved with Collective Vintage when he started selling at the FoCo Vintage Market, and he realized how much of a heart he had for vintage clothes. Quere appreciates the social environment that Collective Vintage has become, allowing him to reconnect with old friends from high school and returning customers.

“One of my favorite things to come into the store was a 1993 Michael Jordan Caricature Chicago Bulls T-shirt,” Quere said. “I love all things basketball, and it’s a great blend of culture, art and nostalgia.”

Van Anne sees the business working toward establishing a true collective that aims to build community through an openness to creative possibilities. Quere said he is blessed to be a part of the Collective Vintage team and has recently become a co-owner alongside Van Anne and Alberts.

“Collective Vintage is a place where people can shop, drink and play pool, card games, pinball, etc.,” Quere said. “The most unique aspect is how it helps friends and even random people connect through nostalgia and memories. I love seeing the faces of people finding items in the shop they have an emotional attachment to.”

Alberts hopes for Collective Vintage to progress as a hub for the vintage community, having the freedom to truly grow into the space with other Fort Collins residents and vendors.

“I want to see more people stepping out of their boundaries and seeing what is possible for them, whether it is getting into the reselling world or joining the markets to sell their art or their baked goods,” Alberts said. “My biggest thing is creating a platform and building a spot for people to come display their art and play their music.”

Reach Sananda Chandy at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.