What began as a lifelong love of thrift shopping has turned into a brick-and-mortar business for Heather Deshais, who is bringing vintage clothing, collectibles and a creative gathering space to the former Pratt’s Lumber property in Highland.

Deshais is the owner of Storied Vintage Digs, a vintage shop located along the rail trail in the hamlet of Highland. The store features a curated collection of vintage clothing, accessories, jewelry, home goods and other items Deshais has collected over the years.

Opening a store, however, was never part of her original plan.

Deshais said the opportunity arose after a friend of her partner, Kirk, acquired the former lumberyard property, later known as Vintage Village. The idea was floated that Deshais could open a vintage store in one of its buildings.

“I never even thought about opening a brick and mortar, but all of a sudden this offer was in my lap,” Deshais said.

She already had a head start on inventory.

A longtime thrift shopper, Deshais had accumulated so much clothing over the years that rooms in her home had been overtaken by her collection. She had also worked in estate sales, giving her another source for vintage clothing, fixtures and unusual pieces.

Before any of those items could be displayed, however, the space itself needed significant work.

Deshais and her partner essentially transformed what she described as a barn into the store from scratch, installing insulation, sheetrock, flooring, lighting and electrical outlets. Because the building initially had no heat, work slowed during the winter months, and the project ultimately took about a year and a half.

Starting with an unfinished space came with one major advantage: Deshais could make it entirely her own.

“Everything in there was my idea,” she said. “It really was, and it came together nicely.”

A lifelong love of thrifting
Deshais’ interest in secondhand clothing stretches back to childhood, when she frequented a thrift store near her family home.

“I’ve been obsessed since I was a kid,” she said. “We had this awesome thrift store not too far from the house I grew up in, and I just remember I got all my favorite jeans there.”

That interest continued through college and adulthood. Even while traveling, Deshais said she finds herself searching for thrift stores along the way.

Now, owning Storied Vintage Digs gives her another reason to pursue the passion she has enjoyed for decades.

But Deshais wants the store to offer something she does not always find when walking into other vintage shops: affordability.

As vintage clothing has become increasingly popular, she said prices at some specialty stores have climbed beyond what many shoppers can comfortably afford. Deshais researches pieces when necessary to learn more about their labels and value, but she deliberately tries to keep her prices approachable.

“I don’t want to overprice,” Deshais said. “I want people to walk in and feel like they can afford things.”

That philosophy is at the heart of what she wants Storied Vintage Digs to become — a curated vintage store without the intimidating price tags that can sometimes accompany the label.

More than clothes
Although clothing makes up a significant portion of the store, shoppers will find much more than racks of vintage dresses and jackets.

Deshais has accumulated pieces through years of estate sales, personal collecting and relationships with people looking to find new homes for their belongings. The collection includes unusual decorative objects, ceramics dating to the 1930s and higher-end jewelry, along with clothing and accessories.

Storied Vintage Digs also carries a small selection of men’s vintage clothing, something Deshais said not every vintage store offers.

She is interested in hearing from people with authentic vintage clothing, generally pieces from the 1990s or earlier, that they would like to donate. Deshais also offers cleanouts for trade, helping clear vintage collections from basements, closets and other spaces in exchange for donated items.

Her years working in estate sales mean she is no stranger to digging through long-forgotten spaces in search of something worth preserving.

That process can also give clothing and other objects another life, rather than leaving families to figure out what to do with an entire collection.

Building a gathering place
Deshais’ plans for Storied Vintage Digs extend beyond retail.

The store has additional space upstairs that she hopes to use for small community events, workshops and other creative programs. One of the first ideas being developed is a series of sewing classes with a SUNY New Paltz design professor.

Deshais also has been talking with local artists and creatives about the possibility of pop-up shows and other events at the shop or elsewhere on the property.

“There’s some things in the works, and I’m really excited that people are interested,” she said.

That community component could become increasingly important as the former lumberyard property continues to evolve. Other businesses have begun occupying portions of the site, and Deshais said there are hopes that additional spaces eventually could bring more activity to the property.

For now, much of her business has grown through word of mouth and people discovering the shop while using the nearby rail trail. Deshais acknowledged that she has only recently begun developing the store’s social media presence.

Still, she said the response from people who have found their way inside has been encouraging.

“Literally everybody who walks in is like, ‘Oh my goodness, this place is amazing,’” Deshais said. “Which touches my heart because all of it was done by us.”

After transforming an empty space from the studs up and filling it with objects gathered through years of thrifting and estate sales, Deshais is still finding new things to put on the racks and new ways to use the building.

“It’s been a roller coaster of fun,” she said.

Storied Vintage Digs is open Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shop is located at 6 Linwood Ave. in Highland and can be found on Instagram at @StoriedVintageDigs.