Warren and Meika Franz, owners of Another Man’s Treasure

So on Saturday I spent most of the morning walking around in Jersey City with the huz, enjoying how all the new development looked along the waterfront, peering into all the chi-chi looking bars and cafes, and marveling at the prices for all the new condos. Since Edward grew up in the area it always amazes him, considering that 15-20 years ago you couldn’t give property in Jersey City away, and you didn’t get onto any of the PATH stations for fear of your life. Well… times change, and today it was hard not to balk at things like the price of a bottle of nut milk ($12 at the City Bistro deli, yowza! Tasty though. Kind of like rice pudding and marshmallows.)

But at any rate, not everything is overpriced in Jersey City, and and I finally got to do some shopping at a vintage store I’ve been meaning to check out for a while now called Another Man’s Treasure. 

I had met the owner, Meika Franz, at a vintage fair in Chelsea, NYC, three years ago as she manned her booth and I’m pretty sure hers was the only vintage boutique located in the Garden State. Somehow I never got over the shop until this weekend, but it was definitely worth the trip. Unlike the vintage shops in Manhattan these days, where everything is either stained or priced for movie shoot rentals, the prices were actually within the realm of reality (and sans stains). I tried on a bunch of things, including a Mad Men-esque 1950s blue floral dress ($85) and light peach Ferragamo oxford flats ($40). In the end though I wound up buying a pair of hot pink strappy heels from the 80s ($25) and a mint green knee length skirt with white polka dots ($35). The skirt was from the store’s house line of deconstructed vintage pieces that have been altered for an updated cut or fit. (There will be an illustration of the pieces in an upcoming post.)

Slightly off topic, for me, buying both the shoes and skirt was a huge deal. I kind of have a old habit of going for whatever’s black or lacy when in vintage stores. To go for such bright, girlie pieces in green and pink, I must have been channeling Jess, Zooey Deschanel’s character from “The New Girl.” Well either that or I really, really wanted watermelon.

Anyway if you happen to be in Jersey City some time soon, Another Man’s Treasure can be found at 353 Grove Street and Meika and her husband and partner Warren also have a blog  that updates customers on new arrivals in their men’s and women’s selection.