Nov. 30—A store described by its owners as a “boutique haven for pop culture lovers and nostalgia seekers” has opened in downtown Moscow.
Retro Vibes & Vintage Sounds specializes in second-hand graphic T-shirts and collectibles from the late 1980s to the present, said Brian Bauer, an owner of the business.
The action figures, VHS tapes, board games, books, toys, stuffed animals and other items are “handpicked to bring a smile, spark a memory” or help a customer discover something new, Bauer said.
Every item is thoroughly cleaned before it’s placed on the floor, he said.
“We’re here to offer a unique shopping experience where every find tells a story,” said Bauer, who describes himself as a passionate collector and vintage enthusiast.
“I pretty much regard the store as my own personal museum of cool stuff,” Bauer said.
Like a museum, Bauer said he doesn’t mind if customers stop by just to look without buying anything. The store has a Pac-Man video game and Super Nintendo games that customers can play for free.
That business grew from a collection that began 20 years ago when he started attending weekend punk rock music festivals. Each time he went, he bought a T-shirt and now owns more than 300 he keeps stacked neatly in cubbies in his closet organized by categories.
Buying the T-shirts helped him develop his eye for what he carries at the store, Bauer said.
In the brick-and-mortar space, his teenage son and daughter help, ringing up purchases and keeping him connected to the latest trends, Bauer said.
Retro Vibes & Vintage Sounds is located at 114 E. Third St., Suite F. It’s open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Lewis-Clark Valley Healthcare Foundation awards nearly $700,000 in grants
The Lewis-Clark Valley Healthcare Foundation announced recently it has awarded 14 grants totaling almost $700,000 to improve health and wellness.
The foundation serves north central Idaho, southeastern Washington and Wallowa County in Oregon. It was established in 2017 by former Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden as part of the sale of St. Joseph Medical Center, a not-for-profit, to RCCH Healthcare Partners, a for-profit business.
A list of recipients, amounts and purposes for the money follows:
LC Valley Youth Resource Center, Lewiston, $85,000 for drop-in and overnight programs.
Community Health Association of Spokane doing business as CHAS, $45,000 for patient assistance program in Moscow, Lewiston and Clarkston.
Garfield County Hospital District, Pomeroy, $80,000 for patient imaging project.
Snake River Community Clinic, Lewiston, $73,240 for operations and outreach.
Clearwater Valley Health doing business as Kootenai Health Foundation, $35,632 for sexual assault nurse examiner.
Syringa Hospital Foundation, Grangeville, $43,188 for newborn care center equipment modernization.
St. Vincent de Paul Society, Moscow Conference of St. Francis of Assisi, Moscow, $50,000, emergency housing, medical care and utilities fund Latah County.
Lewis Clark District Council of St. Vincent de Paul, $50,000, help for Lewiston-Clarkston Valley families.
