ELICOTT CITY — A set of identical twins is bringing their lifelong passion for thrifting and antiques to Ellicott City with a shop that offers vintage treasures spanning more than a century.
Twin Thrift Vintage and Antique Shop, founded by Ali Virden and Jordan Virden-Menefee, features carefully curated items that connect visitors with pieces of history.
"We source everything from the 1900s all the way up to the 2000s, which, wildly, are now considered vintage," Virden said.
The shop is a collector's dream, filled with nostalgic items that each tell their own story. Visitors can find everything from pottery and mid-century glass to unique decorative pieces.
"Everything from pottery to mid-century glass, uranium glass…anything sparks joy or makes us smile or that we love," Virden-Menefee said.
For the identical twins (with Ali being "older by a minute" and taking full advantage of that fact), their passion for antiques was passed down through generations of women in their family.
"Jordan and I grew up antiquing and sourcing with my mom and my grandmother," Virden said.
The sisters' appreciation for sustainability and affordability began in childhood, influenced by their grandmother's collection of global treasures.
"We were exposed to all of our grandmother Nonnie's treasures that she had a giant cabinet with anything that you could think of to look at," Virden-Menefee said.
"She had a big display case of all of her treasures, she gathered from around the world," Virden said.
Some of those family treasures are now proudly displayed in the shop, including their mother's upcycled artwork.
"My mom, who was an artist, she would think she would re-purpose and reuse items, vintage items, and antique items, and find new homes and new ways to use them," Virden-Menefee said.
The sisters hope to share their love of thrifting with the community and inspire younger generations to appreciate vintage items.
"A legacy of my mom and my grandmother and their love of showing us that you know older pieces can be beautiful and can be brought into modernity is something that we hope to show other generations, especially the younger generations coming up," Virden-Menefee said.
For those new to thrifting, Ali suggests giving yourself time to discover what speaks to you.
"I think everybody's just learning a little bit more about what you like and what colors and textures and bringing that into your home," Virden said.
Beyond the business aspect, the shop provides something equally valuable to the sisters – quality time together.
"Spending time together, the older you get, the harder it is to find these pockets of time to spend so this is a way naturally that we get to spend a lot of time together," Virden said, with her sister agreeing.
Twin Thrift Vintage is located inside the Westwood Unique building near the kitchen area. To learn more or shop online, click here.
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