Notable Edibles- Current Vintage
Current Vintage (CV), which opened in May of 2008 to coincide with the Nantucket Wine Festival, is a welcoming and cheerful shop that is plainly a party about to happen. Beth English has created the island’s go-to shop for vintage fashion, curated wines, and a terrific selection of cheeses, charcuterie, crackers and chips, all of which English refers to as “snacks”.
Her team includes Krissy Campbell, another vintage fashion devotee, who also creates amazing window displays, and Savannah Johnson, currently earning her Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) certification. During the winter and spring, English and Johnson attend countless trade wine tastings. English and her husband Mark Donato, who has deep ties to the Nantucket Food & Wine Festival, travel extensively in the winter to locate wines with a geographical and price variety. She is very excited about the shop’s “party rack” which always stocks rare, fine wines that “overdeliver” at any price point but are all eighteen dollars and under. Needless to say, CV is a popular gathering spot for wine – and snack – tastings throughout the year.
The cheese and charcuterie selection remains steadfast, with an addition of one or two new cheeses each year to the core collection. CV carries local honey from one or more island purveyors, Nantucket Crisps, and black olive taralli imported by Nantucket resident Federica Fabbrini. “One of our honey providers recently retired, but, fortunately, there are still plenty of island honey producers, as local honey is a mainstay,” English points out. “We will provide you with an insulated tote for your selection of victuals and wine, and then off you go,” she added.
“The inspiration for Current Vintage came out of the ‘eight-week wonder’ that is all about the summer experience. I had done some vintage clothing popups prior to opening, but I envisioned a more sustainable situation to serve the year-round Nantucket community. Nantucket has a long history of embracing and supporting independent stores, especially women owned. If I opened a vintage clothing store, I’d be bored within a week. So, I thought, what else do I know a lot about and love? Wine! Vintage and vintage for the win-win,” said English. “I wanted everything to meld: the outfits, shoes, handbags, wine, and snacks. A one-stop shop for an instant party,” she enthused.
Current Vintage is well known for its selection of brightly colored vintage fashions and 1960s woven wicker bags – so summery and beachy – and 1950s Lucite handbags. English and her team search far and wide for their collection. The search can be from Providence to Oregon to North Carolina and even Europe. There is a modest men’s dinner jacket section that is pure resort wear – think madras and lots of pink, yellow and green flowers. She said all her clothing, “can be worn out this very night.”
“It has been an interesting journey, and I truly didn’t see such longevity, as we head into our seventeenth season. We go and “shop” other local stores to get a feeling for customer service and the fun factor. We want to ensure people have a good time when they are here. Once you are in the door, you will see we are a store with a lot of heart,” English says with delight.
4 Easy Street, Nantucket Island
@currentvintage
