Classic Style with Lindsay Short

By Jennifer McKee  |  Photos by Max Eremine

 

A passion for vintage goods is in Lindsay Short’s blood. Short is the force behind Mother Lode Athens, an 8,000-square-foot space with more than 40 vendors specializing in all things vintage, from clothing and accessories to furniture and toys. 

Short’s parents were avid thrifters, and when Short was young, traveled the Southeast searching for finds. “I was dragged into every estate sale and thrift store between here and Mississippi,” says Short. “Some of my oldest memories are of pushing carts around stores.”

Short vividly recalls her first vintage purchase. She went to an estate sale in Atlanta, and with the money her mom gave her, purchased a set of Cambridge etched drinking glasses that she still has today. 

She was seven.

“When I was 16 and finally able to drive, I thought hitting a thrift store on my way home from school was the best thing.”

Those trips yielded much vintage fashion, in particular, T-shirts from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Short started giving a lot of clothes to her friends. 

Then her friends asked, “Why don’t you sell them?” So Short began her selling journey at age 16. 

Today, in addition to Mother Lode Athens, Short runs Mother Lode Atlanta and Bennett and Sudderth, an estate liquidation company named after her grandmothers. 

“I love being able to see small businesses grow. I love being able to support more than 40 small businesses and give them a space where they don’t have to take on a lot of overhead,” she says. “I’m also able to learn a lot. The vendors are so smart, so creative. I feel inspired for my own business.”

Short has a degree in furnishings and interiors from the Univeristy of Georiga and uses it every day. It helped her build out the space, plan the layout of the store and come up with a comprehensive color palette. It’s also helped her identify time periods when choosing pieces for her spaces in the Athens and Atlanta stores. 

When searching for vintage pieces, Short says that quality craftsmanship, good design and condition of the item are key. Most important, however, is to find a piece that speaks to you. 

“There’s no right or wrong way to go about it,” says Short. “The cool thing is that you can buy whatever you like, mix modern pieces with things from your grandparents.” 

New items hit the shelves at Mother Lode almost every day, so you’ll see something new each time you visit. 

For new arrivals and more information, visit @motherlodeathens on Instagram or hitthemotherlode.com.