BLACK FRIDAY 40% Off everything!!!

Ah Louis - A History

The Ah Louis Store

            People ask us all the time for a little bit of history about the Ah Louis Store. I thought I would share with you what I have learned through the years and through some great visits with local folks who knew/worked for the Louis family.

            Ah Louis (also known as Wong On) started his store in 1874 as a mercantile and general merchandise store but it was also reportedly the post office, bank, and pharmacy for the SLO “Chinatown” area.  In 1886, the original wooden building was replaced by the present brick structure. The exterior also had large iron shutters that still remain on the windows and doors today that were to prevent fire from entering the building and for security.  The shelving, drawers, counters and bins that you see when you enter Vintage Etc. today are original to the store complete with hardware. The store still has the original safe that Ah Louis used as well as the original gas lamp (now just for looks) that was in the store. It must have been really dark, if that was the only light source! 

Upstairs is divided into small rooms where Ah Louis raised his family of 8 children! The brick store has been in continuous operation since 1886, first by Ah Louis, then by his son Howard. It is still owned by a descendant of the Louis family and we are honored to be able to lease it from the family! 

For more information please head over to the Historical Society Museum in the Carnegie Library near the Mission in our beautiful downtown. You won’t regret it, they have so much information and some beautiful pictures of the way things were in San Luis Obispo! 

I will try to post a bit more on Ah Louis himself soon, things are crazy busy around here and hopefully I will have some exciting news to share in the next couple of weeks! Stay tuned!

Happy Valentines Day!

Hope your day is just love-ly! Here is just a little bit of love from my pinterest page.

 

delectable-collectibles.tumblr.com

http://lindaalbrecht.typepad.com/simple_things/

weheartit.

Happy New Years from Vintage Etc!

 Vintage Etc.

will be closed on Monday,

December 31^st and Tuesday, January 1^st 

to celebrate New Years.

We will re-open on Wednesday, 

January 2^nd at 11:30. 

Have a happy and safe holiday!

Christmas Sale going on NOW!

SALE!

 All Christmas items

50% off!

Cool gift idea!

Saw this today on Pinterest (of course)  but was unable to find the original link. What an awesome gift idea!

I think this is actually fabric that looks like a paint by number but one could easily photocopy a vintage paint by number onto fabric or iron on and transfer. Or for those of you like to get your hands dirty, lay a blank piece of canvas over the pattern, draw it in then paint it in with fabric paints using the numbers and pattern themselves. 

What a beautiful pillow for any space! 

Hope your holiday gift lists are almost wrapped up! 

Come see us if you need a few more items! Just a reminder, Vintage Etc. will be closed December 24th through December 26th for our Christmas Holiday!

30 Days of Gratitude - Black Friday

Day 23

Today I am thankful for having the most AMAZING customers ever! Every one of you who stopped in to our store today, made me smile for so many reasons. People were in such wonderful and positive moods and were so sweet with their compliments. What an uplifting day! Today you not only supported a small business, but our family,  and me personally. You validated my decision to be in this business. Without such wonderful people to do business with it wouldn't be worth it, so thank you for being a part of our business family! Please tell a friend to support a brick and mortar store tomorrow for Small Business Saturday. It really does make a huge difference to all of us!