Cover Section: Getting Smart

How one of the Short North’s cornerstone clothing shops, Smartypants Vintage, has evolved to stay relevant in the mercurial world of second-hand fashion

By Jack McLaughlin / Photos by Alissa Ohashi / Story Design by Tori Smith

March of this year marked the 10-year anniversary of Smartypants Vintage opening its brick-and-mortar storefront in the Short North. But it didn’t hit the decade mark through luck alone.

If you ask owner Justina Smart, the concept has been deliberate (smart, if you will) about the brand, about how it's grown and evolved in the face of a rapidly changing vintage market where only the best of the best survive.

While Smartypants as most know it–that is, its physical storefront at 815 N. High St.–began just over 10 years ago, the concept itself was created even earlier, in the form of a resale Etsy shop in 2008.

“I think I was probably one of the first vintage sellers on Etsy back then,” Smart said. “It was a fun place to start when the market wasn’t so saturated like it is now.”

Until recently, she said, quality second-hand finds were sourced much more easily. Smart first noticed her goto “honey holes” becoming crowded with second-hand seekers in recent years, a trend that took off even more during the pandemic.

Smartypants deals in a wide range of eras (which Smart says is needed for the business to cater to a wide enough customer base), but she specializes in items from 1920-1970, with a particular passion for 1970s denim.

In part necessitated by the increasing number of thrifters at local estate sales and antique shops, and in part driven by her own immutable desire to find the coolest second-hand scores possible, Smart has traveled not only across Ohio, but across the country as well.

In fact, at the time I called to talk to her about the store, she was perusing the vendor stalls at a motorcycle event in Ohio.

“Sometimes I’ll get tips that are a complete bust, but a lot of the time there’s no way to know until you’re there,” she said as the guttural thrum of a distant motorcycle engine was heard in the background. “Once I drove two hours out of my way because a woman said she had a coat that Audrey Hepburn wore in a movie, and it turned out she just thought it really looked like that coat.”

Smart said that part of what drives her is the thrill of the chase, the enchanting potential of uncovering the next big find. But there’s more to it for her. Unlike many second-handers who aren’t concerned with the provenance of their items, Smart is also compelled by the particular history of each piece, and she feels a responsibility to share the story of each one with its buyer, whenever possible.

“I think I’m in a unique position having a brick-and-mortar, because I have a captive audience in my shop,” she said with a laugh. “Each piece has its own story to tell, to carry on, and sharing that is very important to me.”

While Smart is grateful for the benefits a brick-and-mortar offers, she also knows when it’s necessary to evolve, and has actively done so in recent years as she looks toward the future of Smartypants Vintage.

While in-person sales still make up a large percentage of Smartypants’ business, Smart has been placing an increasing emphasis on website sales following the pandemic, since the market has been demanding it. So just like her own vintage items and the cyclical nature of fashion trends, her business–which began itself as a website–has come full circle, in part, back to its roots.

“The pandemic has forced me to have more of an online presence, and to become better at marketing,” she said. “It’s forced me to become more creative, too, but I’m fine with that.”

To learn more, visit @SmartyPantsVintage on Instagram