Retro Girl Vintage, a long-standing tenant of Red Brick Market in Liverpool's Baltic Triangle, has been run by Viv and Neil Mahoney for more than a decade. The couple, from Crosby, have been avid collectors for "as long as they can remember".
Visitors will find everything from obscure comic books and vintage film posters to football programmes, instruments and more. Their expertly curated stock also includes horror film memorabilia, books, collectors' edition Marvel items, American advertising art and CDs.
Liverpool's pop culture legacy
Among the shop's treasures are old Liverpool FC programmes and Beatles memorabilia, with the shop reflecting a legacy of pop culture from across the city.
Neil, 62, said: "Because of the history of the city, music and arts, it's easier here than in other parts of the country. There's a real depth to Liverpool and a creative base. Many people have collected things for years and things are still turning up now."
Viv, 59, added: "People in Liverpool like the unusual. They don't want the run of the mill."
Unique finds and personal collections
The couple describe sourcing their stock as an "adventure", trawling auctions, house clearances and specialist overseas suppliers in search of hard-to-find treasures. Among the more unusual items are Kit-Cat Klocks, which Viv says are notoriously difficult to become a stockist of. With their signature wagging tail, rolling eyes and smile, the clocks originated in the 1930s and have since become iconic designs. The couple believe they are among the only bricks-and-mortar sellers of the clocks in Liverpool.
After getting married, the couple's home "quickly filled" with all manner of vintage and unusual finds, and the shop often draws on their personal collections, some of which began as far back as the 1970s and 80s.
Viv said: "People call us the Addams Family. We have a carousel in the hallway. People come in and go, 'Oh, that's amazing.'"
Neil joked: "I have to grit my teeth to put things in the shop." He added: "It's about passing things down. We think of ourselves as custodians. There's nothing worse than things staying on the shelf fading."
Attracting all generations
The shop also offers older generations a place to browse and "share memories", while attracting plenty of younger customers and students too.
Neil said: "Physical media is coming back. It's a cliché but it's true."
Working in the shop also brings back memories for Neil of visiting old shops as a child to pick up the things he collected, including comics. He remembers visiting places such as Tommy Lee's with his dad on London Road. He said: "I love to think of kids now coming in here and being inspired to collect."
