Old Threads, New Home

Hoboken fashionistas have cause to rejoice: famed New York City vintage boutique O Mistress Mine has relocated to the Mile Square City with a new home on Bloomfield Street.

O Mistress Mine first opened its doors in Manhattan's West Village in 1969. As rent in the hip neighborhood became too pricey, owner Wanda Hanlon moved her shop to the East Village in 2007, with a prime location on 11th Street. Over the course of these 40 years, O Mistress Mine became a landmark for the city's trendiest taste makers, like Sarah Jessica Parker, Madonna, Marc Jacobs, Betsey Johnson and Anna Sui.

But when last year's rough economy began to take a toll on her sales, Hanlon looked across the Hudson to save her business.

"It became too expensive for me, so a friend of mine asked me to join her at her store. It was too good to pass up," said Hanlon.

Hanlon moved to the new location in Hoboken on January 2 and expects to be open for business on January 15.

In New York City's East Village, rent was $3,200 a month plus $500 property tax, Hanlon said. She wouldn't say how much rent is in Hoboken, because her friend owns the store, but said it was "significantly less."

That friend was Mercedes Colyer, who owns the storefront at 211 Bloomfield Street. Colyer's yarn and knitting shop, Samper Artisans–which she says has been around, "A long, long time"—will share the space with O Mistress Mine.

"It's a match made in heaven," said Colyer.

Hanlon has already set up racks of vintage gowns, blouses and fur coats, delicate hats and cases of glittering jewels—all hand-chosen by the owner herself.

"It's very difficult to find quality vintage like this. Wanda puts a lot of thought into it, and experience," Colyer said of her friend.

Hanlon shows off a fox fur from the 1930s, a "turn of the century" theater coat, two 1970s Gucci purses and, what she calls "Greta Garbo-type gowns" made of silk velvet.

"All (trends) come back," said Hanlon. "It was the 60s last year, the 50s now, with some 80s."

She said the trick is to combine unique vintage items with modern-day staples. 

For fashion mavens who have had to curb their spending recently–don't fret. O Mistress Mine's move to Hoboken means that with cheaper rent, Hanlon was able to lower prices on her items.

"I don't have to charge what I have to charge in Manhattan," she said.

And there have been other perks of setting up shop in Hoboken. "It's such a pretty little community," she said. "And cleaner than the city."

Hanlon keeps her spirits high that the move to Hoboken will allow her to keep doing business for years to come.

"I live in hope," she said. "We, as entrepreneurs, are optimists, otherwise we wouldn't be in business!"