POSY Vintage And Craft: A Siren Call To Those In Love With Thrifting

Here’s a tip for vintage shoppers from a professional: For whatever reason, Ohio has a lot of good stuff in the pre-worn, antiques, and collectibles market. But until you can get yourself to the Buckeye State for a shopping expedition, you can visit said professional Regina Moran and her shop, POSY Vintage and Craft, at 198 Main Street in Great Barrington. Once there, you might even forgo that trip to Ohio.

Moran, an FIT grad and former menswear designer for Tommy Hilfiger, comes from a family of collectors, so accruing things and knowing her eras in fashion are in her blood. She’s also an artist who went back to school to get her master’s degree in art and education, and now teaches art history, drawing and painting at Chicopee (Massachusetts) Comprehensive High School.

What’s considered a great find in vintage is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but to me, Moran’s practiced eye fills POSY with a playful, eclectic, and compelling vibe whichever way you turn. “I collect things people can use,” she says, and the proof is in her Instagram photos of customers wearing the garments out the door. She points out a cherry-print sundress that everyone seems to covet. Moran says she has had numerous people try it on. Alas, from another era, its waist size is tiny, so it stays on display for now. Every item is clean and in perfect condition. There’s a section for men’s clothing and accessories, too.

Remember those old housedresses our grandmothers used to wear? They’re popular with the younger set now. The kids are a big inspiration to her when she’s on a buying trip, because they’re a target market for vintage. Curiously, it’s shoppers from the Gen Z and Gen X groups that buy a chunk of the vintage clothing. Who knows which generation is influencing the other?

One of her more active categories, the wedding dresses, overflow from an armoire. The “fresh and clean” gowns represent all eras. Some have been donated by Moran’s customers, a fabulous idea for those whose wedding gown has been languishing for decades in a preservation kit in the back of the closet. (Guilty.) Speaking of donations, it’s important to note that whatever doesn’t sell, Moran donates the items to the Elizabeth Freeman Center, the local nonprofit that provides services to people affected by domestic and sexual violence.

The housewares, like the clothing and accessories, are in tip-top, usable condition. Many of the items have never even been used, so they’re virgin glasses or dishes or textiles. When she says her stock is clean, she means it — to the point of giving a bath to a bunch of Cabbage Patch dolls found in a bin somewhere. Moran displays a fair share of tchotchkes, too, plus vintage books and jewelry. Scattered in the mix are new items, like handwoven scarves, and the small and tall suncatchers from Germany. Surrounding all of it are Moran’s figurative paintings (for sale) which seem to fit right in with whatever era they’re positioned next to.

Other than scouring Ohio for the goods, Moran finds treasures when she and her daughter take frequent road trips up and down the east coast. She recently returned from a vintage shopping trip to Berlin and Vienna, where among the garments she picked up were a collection of charming handmade skirts and a vintage cropped pant with embroidery and buttons.

In April, Moran moved POSY from central Main Street to a few blocks north. Now she’s in the Flying Church building right next to Pixie Boulangerie. The move has not only given her more space inside (which includes her studio), but it allows her to expand outside, too. It’s where she can display her sale rack, lawn chairs, and larger items like some really cool coolers.

“People come in and just try on things. There’s a social aspect to running the store that’s really fun,” Moran says. She creates Instagram videos of customers showing off their try-ons with their best model moves. It’s a happy place.

For years, Moran has had a summer house in Monterey, and two years ago, tired of life in Brooklyn, she moved herself and her two kids to the country house full time. All her talents are coming together in the Berkshires.

“My art is my first passion,” she says. “With this store and teaching, I have a wonderful, busy life.”