Northeast Ohio's Estate Sales Bring Vintage Goods Into the Modern Age

Before the sun even crests over city buildings, a few dozen bleary-eyed shoppers line up outside a vintage and antiques store on Cleveland’s West Side. They peek through the cloudy windows, hoping to catch a glimpse of a target buy.

The thing is, this store has been closed for more than 40 years. Today, it opens its doors for one final time to clear the space with an estate sale.

Secondhand goods are the biggest trend in fashion and home design. As of 2024, the U.S. secondhand market is up 30% from the previous year, with buyers of every demographic finding gold in a sea of pre-loved treasures.

Historically, shoppers have turned to thrifting after periods of mass consumerism, such as in the ’50s, followed by the bohemian style of the ’60s, and then again in the blockbuster boom of the ’80s, followed by the ‘90s DIY scene. But in the age of the internet, sourcing vintage has leveled up. Sites like Depop, Etsy and Vinted have exploded in popularity, providing access to curated and high-priced items for a fraction of the commercial cost and creating an expensive market for throwback Levi’s, Gucci and Ralph Lauren.

Every hobby has its experts, and the world of estate sales is no different. At homes and businesses across Northeast Ohio, an entire subculture of shoppers embrace the thrill of the search.

“It’s kind of fun to chat with people while you’re waiting,” says Cassie Trainer, a vintage reseller and co-owner of Paradise Galleria. “There’s like an electric buzz in the air. Everyone’s excited to go inside and start the treasure hunt … you get to know who those people are in the community.

But when the doors of this shuttered shop finally open, the line’s warm conversationalists turn to a swarm of bargain hunters.

Leah Nowak grew up in a world of vintage appreciation, with her grandparents owning antique malls that took the family to secondhand stores. Now, she is a Northeast Ohio-based vintage reseller and content creator with her brand House in the Heights.

“I remember my grandpa would get out the newspaper and circle all the garage sales he wanted to go to,” she says.

Her Instagram, TikTok and website offer an exclusive edge to estate-sale enthusiasts.

She features previews of upcoming sales, beautiful finds and tips for new buyers and sellers in the area. For those looking for inspiration, her page showcases decadent dishware, decor and art to offer a rich look into just a percentage of the untapped treasures around our region. I discovered this early-morning treasure trove through a preview shared on her account, but websites like estatesales.net are also fairly standard for finding estate sales near you.

READ MORE: 9 Tips for Holiday Decorating from Shaker Heights’ “House in the Heights”

Paradise Galleria is known for its quirky, colorful decor and highly curated vintage merchandise, and the feat has been no anomaly since the shop opened last year in Ohio City. Over the years, Trainer has noticed a rise in traffic at estate sales, as well as vintage stores in general. While many estate sale visitors are personal shoppers, these events are also where many shop owners, like Trainer, acquire their products. She attributes the rise to shoppers being bored with the offerings in big-box stores.

“It’s easy to start buying all of this cheap, trendy clothing, and we kind of got flooded with it,” says Trainer. “People are bored with that and realize the damage it has on our planet, and they want to do something a little more sustainable.”

The demographics have also changed drastically. Maureen Riley is the owner of local estate sale company Moedini, which transforms cluttered estates into shoppable showrooms. In addition to an overall rise in attendance, Riley has witnessed younger crowds seeking out their own styles in recent years.

“It was a lot of older people when I first started, but it has, in the past, I’d say, four or five years, gotten a lot younger,” she says. “I love to see people in their 20s coming there.”

Younger people are also looking back in time for housing inspiration. Cotality, an information and data company that studies the real estate market, found that millennial and Gen Z buyers increasingly prefer older homes. The biggest trend in commercial real estate is repurposing offices and shops into residential apartments. Riley thinks they want decor that matches their abode.

“They got their first apartment,” she says. “They’re decorating it in all vintages.”

Trainer and Riley have had their fair share of interesting finds.

For Riley, “the older, the better.” Her favorite recent finds include a ledger from the 1800s, “weird Troll dolls with two heads,” a coffin-shaped transistor radio and old typewriters — but there is competition for these items.

“I’ve always found that the older something is,” she says, “or the history that’s behind it, those are the coolest things that are going to fly out first.”

Years of vintage shopping have made Trainer a bit of a Cleveland historian, she says. At one sale, Trainer purchased items from the man who started the first David Bowie fan club in Cleveland. The International David Bowie Society was the first to be established in the United States and was ultimately the reason Bowie decided to play his first show in the U.S. in Cleveland.

Recently, Trainer sourced a pin collection of influential rock critic Jane Scott, who worked for The Plain Dealer. The pins sold quickly at Paradise Galleria.

“When you can get stories along with the items,” she says, “it makes it extra special.”

READ MORE: Best Of Cleveland 2025: The Shops and Products Behind a Thriving Style Scene

Want To Join the Quest? Here’s How To Master Estate Sales.

Not sure where to start? There are more sales than you’d think. Look online for upcoming listings on websites like estatesales.net, Facebook Marketplace, estate sale newsletters, Craigslist and even community pages.

Treat it like any other product you’d consider purchasing. Determine if it is worth your time by looking at pictures in the listing. If it looks like your vibe, go for it. Try to map out where the pieces may be in the space when you arrive.

Plan ahead. Search parking details and arrive an hour before the sale starts to beat out competitive shoppers. Pack reusable bags and bubble wrap for fragile items. Decide where to start based on what drew you in.

Take your time. Get low to the ground. Look on top of cabinets and closets and in drawers. If you find anything you like for a higher price than you want, bargain at checkout or revisit the following sale days for bigger discounts.

For more updates about Cleveland, sign up for our Cleveland Magazine Daily newsletter, delivered to your inbox six times a week.

Cleveland Magazine is also available in print, publishing 12 times a year with immersive features, helpful guides and beautiful photography and design.