Vintage fashion shop opens at Greenbank Farm

Stepping into Greenbank’s newest vintage thrift shop feels like entering your grandmother’s living room thanks to the mother-daughter team who filled it with retro charm and timeless treasures.

Arline & Stella Vintage Emporium celebrated its soft opening July 6 at the Greenbank Farm and is now welcoming customers. The store is named after co-owner Kristin Benson’s grandmothers, Arline and Stella, whose respective basements were adorned with vintage dresses, lamps, costume jewelry and “kitschy” paintings, Benson shared on the shop’s website.

Benson and her mother, Debra Parrish, are dedicated to promoting sustainability in their store stocked with thrifted secondhand goods.

“Well, the whole point is, she’s very ecologically conscious, and as I am as well,” Parrish said. “And that’s the whole goal, is to make use of what there already is.”

“We don’t need more fast fashion out in the world. We need to be using all the cool stuff that is already in circulation,” Benson added.

The pair offers an eclectic mix of items, from clothing, accessories and artwork, to kitchenware, knick-knacks, small furniture and even Parrish’s own wedding dress. Their inventory is sourced from yard and estate sales, vintage wholesalers, thrift shops and community donations. Designed to spark nostalgia, the store appeals to all the senses: calming music plays in the background, a sweet, familiar scent lingers in the air and racks are filled with colorful garments, sequins and textured pieces that are vintage or vintage-inspired.

Benson, whose idea it was to start the business, and whose loving mother happily obliged, has been interested in fashion since she was gifted a fashion illustration book in third grade, she claimed.

When Parrish saw that Greenbank had an opening, she texted Benson that she had found the perfect spot for their shop and they jumped on it immediately. Parrish had a soft spot for the venue as she grew up on a dairy farm herself, she said.

“We just couldn’t pass it up. I mean, Greenbank is just perfect. It’s a vintage dairy farm,” Benson said.

Now that they have opened their doors, the owners hope to attract customers who are chic, fashion-forward and like to take fashion risks.

“I want people to feel nostalgic. I want people to feel a little giddy,” Benson said. “We just want folks to come in and feel like they can put on a record and they can spend time hanging out, chatting with us and just looking around and, you know, some folks won’t buy stuff the first time in, but that’s OK and we just kind of want them to be able to take it in through multiple senses.”

The owners prioritize inclusivity; they try to stock a variety of sizes with both masculine and feminine clothing at all times, but since they are not sourcing new items, their collection is dependent on what they find. Over time, they hope to expand their inventory to not only give the shop a more “grandmother’s attic” kind of feel but also provide a more inclusive space that could become a destination spot on the island for thrifters and vintage lovers, Benson said.

The store hours will be 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. Benson encourages people to call the number on the store’s website if they can’t make those hours, as there is a chance they are working in the shop.

The owners hope to be actively involved in their community, from participating in the Greenbank Farm Harvest Faire, to launching their own events in the future.

Arline & Stella Vintage Emporium will host an official opening Aug. 23. Keep up to date with its website, arlineandstella.com.