Old City’s Scout Salvage and Vintage Rescue
Do you love shopping but tire of the same old, same old, retail stores and boutiques? Looking for a new and exciting shopping experience? Head over to Scout Salvage in Old City and get ready to feel inspired. The folks at Scout describe the shop as “an oddball vintage store for people who think rehab is for furniture and stripping is for paint” and carry anything that is “uniquely cool, weird, useful, pretty or even ugly!” If you are looking to make your next shopping expedition a little bit weirder and enjoy hunting for one-of-a-kind vintage clothing, furniture and household goods, you will feel right at home at Scout Salvage.
This outrageous and fabulous business is the brainchild of owner, Betsy Cassel. She started Scout as a hobby that she hoped would supplement her income as she switched careers. Cassel States, “I thought it would be fun to have a really cool Etsy shop to try to make up the difference in income while having fun at the same time.” She had developed a longstanding love for everything vintage when her mother began taking her to estate sales throughout her childhood. As an adult, she always remembered these events fondly and decided to start attending again, seeking out rare, vintage goods for her Etsy shop. She hit the jackpot right away when she attended the estate sale for a woman who had owned a roadside ice cream shop. After stocking up, she began vending at the Brooklyn Flea in New York City and became a full-time flea market vendor for three years. Eventually, as Cassel puts it, “Scout naturally evolved into a brick and mortar operation.”
Scout Salvage is dedicated to the Philadelphia community. They work with a number of local businesses including Urban Cabin Soap Co., Sunshine Jar Studios, Candelles, Found and Earth and Iron. Cassel states that “the best part of being based in Philly is having Philadelphians as customers” and she loves being able to bring all of her vintage goods and handmade products to her loyal customers. She also enjoys the fact that Philly is a tourist location and that this “bring clientele into the shop from literally around the world.” Cassel and her staff feel that there is nothing better than seeing people find exactly what they needed in their shop and they are absolutely thrilled when they get to tell local vendors that their products are a big hit. They just love making people happy!
Aside from their local vendors, Scout finds its vintage merchandise through a variety of avenues. They have a number of contacts from their years of experience and the entire staff works together to carefully curate the inventory. The result is a mix of different styles, perspectives and ideas that all contribute to the awesomely eclectic mix of items on display. Store manager, Kelly Thompson states that the best aspect of her job is that “it’s never routine, it’s always changing.”
If you are in the market for 1970’s McDonalds glasses, brass keys, pretty vintage mirrors, 30 year old flannel shirts or a cozy and cool vintage jacket, Scout Salvage has got you covered. Though they are relatively new to the Philly shopping scene, they have already made their mark as a must-stop shop for locals and tourists. They are focused on perfecting their inventory and pleasing their customers while helping to promote as many local vendors as possible. Next time we have that uncontrollable urge to shop, we are heading straight for Scout Salvage!
Want to learn more about what the Old City section of Philadelphia has to offer? Check out our Explore Philly Section now!
Written by Patrick Kaisinger (Mike McCann Team Blogger Extraordinaire)
