Booth 63: Go Smaller with your Vintage
Written & Photographed By Ellen Anderson
Booth 63 Owners, Alina Viknyanskiy & Aaron Long
Where’s the best vintage in Springfield, MO? Most of us would reply to this question with something like Springy Jeans, Relics Antique Mall, or Red Racks. Though some of these are small businesses, I challenge you to go even smaller. Booth 63 is a 11x20 foot vintage shop located in a booth of STD Flea Market. Ten years ago, Aaron Long wrote down his phone number on a one-dollar bill for a girl at a party with a cool hat, Alina Viknyanskiy. He asked his fellow vintage lover on a date, and the rest is history. Ali and Aaron started Booth 63 as a couple in November 2019 as a creative outlet, and they have been keeping Missouri vintage clothing in cycle ever since.
Booth 63 sells clothing with high quality materials, cool textures, and classic colors. In a world filled with constant spending, fast fashion, and ever-changing micro trends, Booth 63 strives to find customers their “forever pieces.” They keep prices affordable, with almost everything in the booth under $45. For example, accessories are usually around $5, and t-shirts range from $10-20. Ali describes how they “try to keep everything they sell wearable. Something you can wear the same day or tomorrow.” She repairs holes and replaces buttons on clothes, bringing new life to pieces that might be otherwise overlooked. This is a sustainable practice that is very admirable.
Ali graduated from Missouri State in 2018 with a Bachelor's in Graphic Design. She was born in Uzbekistan and Aaron was born on an island in the Pacific Ocean. They both grew up surrounded by creativity and hard work–Ali’s mother worked as a seamstress in a swimsuit factory starting at age 14, while her father was a painter. Though neither of them was born in the US, Ali and Aaron have made Springfield their home. Not only that, but they also do the good work of keeping Missouri clothing in cycle throughout the state. They keep local vintage in the community, as opposed to shipping it to other cities.
Ali has been experimenting with clothes since she was a kid. Outside of vintage, Ali and Aaron like to travel, drink good coffee, and “play outside.” They love good fragrances, art, and history. This love of history is what makes vintage so enjoyable for them as they learn about different brands and tags, like being transported to a different time. If it wasn’t for that phone number written on a notorious dollar bill in 2013, Booth 63 wouldn’t exist today. Booth 63 is located in STD Flea Market – 1820 E Trafficway St, Springfield, MO 65802. Once you enter STD, head all the way to the back wall, then turn right. Booth 63 will be on your right a few feet down. Go shop small with Booth 63 anyday from 10am-6pm, and find your forever pieces!