Vintage + Art+ Design Corridor, from Black Rock to Stratford CT
Sometimes you don’t know what you’re looking for until you find it. This list of “hidden gems” along this Bridgeport/Stratford corridor will help you enjoy “The ART of the Find” featuring art, design, artisanal and vintage vendors. Create our own style from an eclectic array of possibilities to wear and decorate home and work. Find your way to vintage, thrift, consignment, gift and fashion venues.
These businesses support local artists and artisans and creative placemaking which enriches community. Choosing vintage and upcycled clothing and furniture is good for the environment, rather than dumping ‘old stuff’ into landfill. Your purchases support women owned and black owned businesses, and thoughtfully curated shops.
Many locations are nearby attractions on the Bridgeport Art Trail. Thank you for supporting these fine establishments and the art venues. We hope you will enjoy the art of your find whether it is a fashion piece, home decor, or an object d” art.
See ART of the Find Map
Download ART of the Find pdf
BLACK ROCK
1. Pious Bird
2960 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport CT 06605
Contact: Desiree Witt
203.540.5175
piousbird@me.com
piousbird.com
Store hours: Tuesday through Friday; 11 am to 5 pm, Saturday; 12 pm to 5 pm, alternate Sundays; 12 pm to 4 pm (see Pious Bird website for specific dates), closed Mondays.
SOUTH END BRIDGEPORT
2. Mongers Market
1155 Railroad Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06605
203-326-0904
info@mongers-market.com
mongers-market.com
Instagram: @mongersmarketusa
Business Hours: Sundays 10 am to 4pm
A collection of diverse mongers selling vintage, industrial salvage and antique items in a 75,000-square-foot refurnished factory space.
3. Metro Art Studios
345 Railroad Avenue, Bridgeport CT 06604
metroartstudios@gmail.com
metroartstudios.com
Artists’ working studios
DOWNTOWN
4 City Lights Vintage/City Lights Gallery
265 Golden Hill Street
CL Vintage just steps from City Lights Gallery
Next to the Downtown Cabaret Theater.
Phone: 203-334-7748 Alt Phone: 203-449-2187
Hours Thurs & Fri 12-5pm*
Sat. 12-4pm
*Open later during some of the Cabaret shows
FB: /CityLightsVintage
Instagram: @citylightsvintage
Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/citylightsvintagebpt
Vintage and Boutique Clothing, Cameras, Furniture, Art, this vintage and collectibles shop was created as a means to help fund the many City Lights/Bridgeport Art Trail arts programs and education projects, enhance placemaking and connect with community.
5. The Emporium
305 Fairfield Avenue, Downtown, Bridgeport CT 06604
203.530.8051
mike@academybooksandrecords.com
academybooksandrecords.com
Regular Hours: Friday and Saturday, 11 am to 5 pm or by appointment
A showcase for products and services from students and startups; a book and record store; and a coffee and pastry shop.
6. Historic Arcade Mall/ARTcade/Ursa Gallery/Paradox Ink/Richual Boutique
1001 Main Street, Bridgeport, CT 06604
203.395.1395
FB: /arcademallbpt
The Arcade is a stunning gem of Victorian architecture, with glass conservatory ceiling. Its charm and scale make it a perfect location for social gatherings, events and shopping experiences like ARTcade.
ARTcade happens monthly, enjoy an art, music and shopping experience featuring artisanal and vintage vendors at the Downtown Arcade mall and nearby participating shops. ARTcade takes place 11/13/21 during the BAT weekend. Check bridgeort-at-trail.org for monthly info and dates.
6a. Ursa Gallery
Arcade Mall, Suite 23
917.331.5338
hello@ursa.gallery
Instagram: @ursa.gallery
FB: /ursa.gallery
6b. Paradox Ink
Arcade Mall, Suite 19
203.521.8681
paradoxink.com
The art and silkscreen prints of Liz Squillace
6c. Richual Boutique LLC.
Arcade Mall
CEO, Brittany Rae
Phone: 1(646)467-0056
Shoprichual@gmail.com
shoprichual.com
Instagram: @shop_richual
Hours: Tues -Thurs 10am to 5pm
Fri- Sat. 10 am to 7pm
7. Collab Exchange
1123 Main Street, Bridgeport CT 06604
collabexchange@gmail.com
collab-exchange.com
Hours: Thursday thru Friday 4PM – 7PM
A hybrid cooperative to launch artisanal brands and encourage small business growth.
8. The Archive
118 Congress Street, Bridgeport CT 06604
203.441.5678
browsethearchive.com/bridgeport
Open Tuesdays through Sundays from 11 am to 6 pm
The Archive is Vinegar Syndrome’s experimental retail store located at our film preservation facility in Bridgeport, CT, Vintage video, vinyl, rare VHS, laserdiscs, and movie posters and one of the largest collections of soundtrack LPs you will ever encounter.
9. Thriftleasta
Resell Store
505 West Ave (corner of Fairfield Ave.)
203-332-1555
Support@thriftfleasta.com
Thriftleasa.com
Hours Mon to Fri 11 to 6pm
WEST END
10. NEST Arts Factory
1720 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06605
203.690.1335
nestbpt@gmail.com
nestartsfactory.com
Instagram: @nestartsfactory
Artists’ working studios
11. Black Rock Galleries, Auction, and Design Center
1720 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06605
203.335.0000
contact@blackrockgalleries.com
blackrockgalleries.com
EAST SIDE
12. American Fabrics Art Building
1069 Connecticut Avenue, Building 4
Bridgeport, CT 06607
203.257.6695
amfabarts.com
Artists’ working studios
13. Witch Bitch Thrift
Size & gender inclusive thrift & witch shop, woman & queer owned!
955 Connecticut Ave, Building 5, Ste 5223
Bridgeport CT 06607
203-275-8100
witchbitchthrift.com
Instagram: @WitchBitchThrift
tiktok: @WitchBitchThriftTok
14. Pickles Thrift Store and Creative Space
Vanessa Strubbe & Ed Rivera
955 Connecticut Ave
Bldg 1 Unit 1216
Bridgeport CT 06607
Hours: Sunday-Tuesday by appointment made by direct
Instagram: @pickles_thriftstore
Wed-Saturday 11-7pm
*knock on our purple door
Vintage, secondhand, redesign clothes, accessories and home goods
and we also offer workshops.
STRATFORD
15. Stratford Antique Center
400 Honeyspot Rd
Stratford CT on the Bpt/Stfd Line
203-378-7754
Open Daily 10-5pm
stratfordantiquecenter.com
16. Tashas Nearly New Shop
2323 Barnum Ave
Stratford, CT 06615
203 549-8775
Tuesday thru Saturday 10-3pm
tashasnearlynewthriftshop.com
Tasha’s Nearly New Thrift Shop
17. SHAKESPEARE MARKET
1850 Elm St, Stratford, CT 06615
A year-round outdoor shopping experience on the grounds where the Shakespeare Theatre once was.
The market runs the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month from 10-2.
theshakespearemarket.org/