SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Puffer coats replaced leather jackets, blankets covered vendor chairs and knit beanies bobbed to techno beats blasting from The Chisari Project’s DJ booth as shoppers combed vintage racks with one-of-a-kind finds. Gloved hands tapped through Venmo transactions and reached for Hermit’s signature Dorito salads, breaths clouding in the cold between bites. October’s coldest Saturday didn’t stop 12 vendors from showing up for a market born from one couple’s shared passion for vintage.
Annah Kilmartin, owner of Sweet Teeth Vintage, and her fiancé, Vlad, founder of Unoriginal New York, matched on Tinder and immediately hit it off. What came next? A love story that gave rise to a market welcomed by Syracuse’s fashion community: Vintage in the Garden.
“We fell in love for the game of vintage,” said Kilmartin.
On Oct. 17, the couple hosted their third and final market of the season, transforming The Sound Garden in downtown Syracuse’s Armory Square into a celebration of music and vintage clothing.
“Vintage and records go hand in hand,” said Vlad. “It’s an organic way to discover friends, people you can network with and do business with.”
The Sound Garden is a hot spot for music lovers, with one of the East Coast’s largest selections of new and used vinyl. But for Kilmartin, the store is more than a destination of records – it’s a second home and a second family. Hired at 18, Kilmartin spent the next decade there, building lasting relationships with its staff.
When the opportunity arose to expand Sweet Teeth Vintage and host markets, carrying her business into the shop felt like a natural next step.
Casey Keefe, a Sound Garden manager and former colleague of Kilmartin’s, supported the market idea from the start, keeping Sweet Teeth within The Sound Garden’s family.
“It’s almost like a necessity for the soul, ” said Keefe. “You want to look good; you want to wear good stuff. This is the place to go.”
Through other Syracuse markets, Kilmartin and Vlad connected with fellow sellers and found inspiration to launch an event of their own.
Johnny Cavzola, creator of Handle With Care Markets and Fragile Threads, attended both Vintage in the Garden’s first market in June and its most recent event in October. For Cavzola, these gatherings are about more than selling vintage clothing — they help independent businesses support one another and keep money circulating locally.
“It’s about keeping the money in Syracuse,” said Cavzola. “If we can keep the money here, it’s staying here and it’s helping the community pay our bills.”
Kilmartin and Vlad also reached out to Bourne Vintage, Oopsie Daisy and Small Rack. As word spread, they opened applications to the public, introducing more vendors into the mix.
Syracuse local Brooke Smith, owner of Be’s closet, made her debut at the last market. Encouraged to apply by Small Rack owner Gemma Decker, Smith saw the opportunity as a chance to return to a place filled with childhood memories.
“It’s very full circle for me, because I grew up coming to this place and now I’m here selling,” said Smith.
As Syracuse’s vintage fashion network continues to grow, markets like Vintage in the Garden give sellers a chance to meet customers face-to-face.
“I love being able to see my customers and hear when they pick up a piece they love and can’t contain their excitement,” said Decker. “You don’t have that connection online.”
Though the October event marked the end of the season, Kilmartin and Vlad plan to bring Vintage in the Garden back next spring, keeping the local vintage culture alive.
“We’re all here for the same reasons,” said Kilmartin. “It’s not competition; it’s just community.”