Vintage History brings mid-century, contemporary design to East Texas

TYLER, TX (KLTV) - Vintage History is unique among East Texas vintage shops.

You won't find 19th-century French furniture or the ever-popular shabby chic-style decor. What you will find are interesting, artistic pieces of furniture and art, roughly spanning the period of the 1950s to the 1980s. 

In their own words, "Vintage History is the result of a passion for the clean lines of masterfully constructed mid-century furniture and other unique finds."

Owner Scott Skinner is a self-proclaimed "picker," traveling all over Texas (and beyond) to dig up treasures with a mid-century or contemporary vibe to share with a growing population of collectors here in East Texas.

Skinner's enthusiasm is contagious as he talks about the design of the pieces he finds. When I arrived at his shop he was working on a pair of mid-century modern Empire 6500 speakers, that, to me, look like something George Jetson would have enjoyed in his home. (See slideshow for photos). Skinner can hardly wait to get them back in top shape for some lucky customer to take home. 

Skinner says some of his finds have come out of Tyler homes during estate sales. Many residents kept these kinds of items for a lifetime, but their children, now in their 50s or 60s, perhaps, are not as fond of that aesthetic and are selling off these unique pieces of design history. However, Skinner says he's seeing a major resurgence of people in their teens, twenties and thirties suddenly embracing the mid-century aesthetic, making his small shop a popular place to visit as he locates these stylish castoffs and brings them back to life.

Skinner's shop is located at 5304 Old Bullard Road in Tyler, in a building shared with vintage clothing boutique Alex & Afton. To contact Skinner, call 903-424-6882.

Click here for Vintage History on Facebook or search for him on Instagram at @vintagehistorytx.

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