As a party offering, fondue is “essentially vintage,” says Nostalgia owner Amie Swanson, which makes it the perfect centerpiece for her annual celebration for customers and booth owners at her 13-year-old antique store in Bearden.
Nostalgia will hold its annual fondue party from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23. There will be free fondue at various stations plus karaoke. Swanson says this is the 11th annual such bash and is a favorite night for her, her staff and the booth owners, who get to come face-to-face with the furniture seekers, fashionistas and collectors who regularly peruse the shop.
Vintage fashion at Nostalgia (Photo by Tracy Owens)
“If they’re in town that weekend, they’re there,” Swansons says of the dealers. “It’s an all-hands-on-deck kind of thing.”
Nostalgia features 40-plus dealers in its more than 6,000-square-foot space, a standalone building next to Jerry’s Artarama on Homberg Drive. Swanson opened the shop in 2006, and although there are dealers who specialize in older antiques, much of the merchandise is mid-century modern or recently retro. It’s what Swanson calls “vintique.”
Felix and Oscar (Photo courtesy of Nostalgia)
There’s furniture, vinyl LPs, jewelry, dishware, books, knickknacks and Knoxville-themed merchandise. Two shop mannequins model the vintage fashion, and two cats, Oscar and Felix, cozy up to visitors as they browse or test out the sofas, chairs and shelves for sleeping.
The shop has a large fan base on social media, and you can also catch Oscar and Felix on a dedicated account on Instagram. Nostalgia is at 5214 Homberg Drive. Except for special events, the shop is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Info.