Maddie Rogers Is Changing The Vintage Goods Game

It's safe to say Chicago's sustainability scene would not be the same without Maddie Rogers.

Photo via @vintagehousechicago

Maddie Rogers covers all the bases when it comes to her involvement in the world of vintage.

On top of cultivating her own personal collection of rare vintage goods, Rogers also owns and acts as manager at Vintage House Chicago, a traveling market that finds its home in locations all over the city bimonthly and allows local vendors to sell their handmade and vintage products.

“I started Vintage House in the middle of 2021 during the summer in my backyard,” Rogers wrote over email. “I had been selling clothes for months and I found the online listing process tiring and impersonal. I wanted more opportunities to sell in person but didn’t know where to start.”

It was from the backyard concerts she had been putting on with her roommates that Rogers found inspiration for Vintage House Chicago’s open-market set up.

“I had been hosting concerts in my backyard with my roommates at the time, and I realized it would be a great space to host vendors at,” Rogers wrote. “From there it just grew to where it is now, which is something I never anticipated."

While pursing her pandemic-born passion has allowed Rogers to fulfill her love for vintage goods, it has also allowed her to form a community with fellow sustainable-minded individuals here in Chicago.

“It so amazing to realize how many folks I’ve connected with in the last 10 months that I didn’t know at all when I first started,” Rogers wrote.

And when asked what advice she would give to those just starting out in the vintage retail realm, Rogers recommended taking it one step at a time.

“It obviously takes time/trial and error to figure out what you want to buy, but I would recommend starting small and not investing a ton of money until you know what you’re looking for,” Rogers wrote. “I would also recommend just following a lot of local sellers to get inspiration/connect with folks! Everyone in the community is friendly and down to chat, and it’s a great way to get a foot in the door to in-person sales.”

Want to check out everything Vintage House Chicago has to offer? Head to their second to last pop-up of the year on November 27th inside The Logan Square Auditorium!