Eating cookies and Timbits in the middle of the YQR Vintique Market, a few vendors and customers were laughing while sharing stories of their vintage finds.

The market is located in Regina’s Warehouse District, just east of Value Village. 

Ada Bennett, one of the vendors, owns ReLiked Vintage & Retro and is also the managing director of the non-profit that runs the market and its 21 vendors who have everything from French inspired fashion, war memorabilia, endless salt and pepper shakers to all the Pyrex you could imagine.

“I get to be unique,” said Bennett. “I get to have a collection that speaks to who I am as a person.”

A lot of her collection is based on memories of her parents and grandparents.

She has cameras because her grandpa was a professional photographer. Her grandma had 15 children and was a good cook, so she collected a lot of kitchenware. 

“We want to grasp our childhood in some ways,” said Bennett. “But we also want to be different and cool.”

Due to the market’s growing popularity, it’s expanding to the upstairs of its current building.

Bennett hopes to get more youth involved with the excitement of vintage. 

Upstairs, people will soon be able to learn skills directly from the vendors, like painting, knitting, sewing and refurbishing items. 

Bennett, along with some other vendors, will make the move upstairs as well. 

Keven Blehm runs Return of the Century, which specializes in mid-century and retro furniture. He started collecting at home, but he quickly ran out of room in his condo and wanted to share his finds with the rest of Regina. 

One of his favourite things about thrifting is the “rush of getting that treasure” – which he compared to the 1985 film The Goonies.

“You just hit the jackpot,” said Blehm.

When he’s not at the market, Blehm is the general manager of an Earl’s restaurant.

Bennett and other vendors watch over the booths of curators who have other jobs or school. 

“It’s like a second family,” said Blehm.

Madeline Kotzer is the owner of C’est Madeline, a curated vintage clothing company with a French twist. Kotzer calls her space a “petit rêve,” a little dream she’s had for a long time. 

She is quite new to the market, just joining in January. 

Her new baby girl, Maire-Claire, played a role in Kotzer getting the space at the market.

She brings her daughter to the market often; many of the collectors are some of Marie-Claire’s best friends, said Kotzer. 

Her daughter even has her own line of clothing at the market, featuring tiny tweed coats and dresses. 

Although she’s only a month into her new business venture, Kotzer is excited for the future of C’est Madeline. She travelled to Nice, France, hoping to bring back true vintage clothing to Regina. 

Kotzer encourages people to find their own form of self expression and creativity. She believes fashion – particularly vintage clothing – can have a transformative power in people’s lives. 

“If you have style you can shop anywhere,” said Kotzer. “You can go into absolutely any store and put together a beautiful outfit.” 

Featured image: Some of the YQR Vintique Market crew. Left to right: Ada Bennett, Madeline Kotzer and Marie-Claire, Keven Blehm.