Vintage Swag, located at 207 West Grand in Ponca City, offers a large variety of vintage items from ties, china, pottery, cufflinks, vintage glass, lamps and lighting fixtures, and much more. Owner Bret Carter has been buying and selling since high school.

“I like to find cool stuff and I like to find someone who likes it more,” said Carter.

The store is primarily an online realtor and has items listed on Etsy. They also have a presence on Facebook where they will post pictures of new inventory.

Many of the items in Vintage Swag’s possession are collected from auctions, resale shops, as well as people selling estates and bringing in boxes of assorted items. Carter recounts even once having someone bring in an Olympic torch.

“I’m always surprised what comes in the door,” said Carter. Vintage Swag also sells

Vintage Swag also sells furniture, which tends to sell very fast. At the back of the store are all projects being worked on, along with light fixture parts that are often used for the making of custom items, such as a lamp made out of a clarinet and a chandelier made of ties.

“Sometimes just we take something and turn it into something else. Makes it fun,” said Carter.

Carter hopes to be able to start a gift registry and is currently working to figure out the logistics of that undertaking.

Vintage Swag also gives back to the community in many ways. During the winter, they set up a warming station for the homeless in town with many coats, blankets, hats and sleeping bags. They are also working with First Christian Church to provide bicycles for children and are getting ready to provide vintage glassware to the reception dinner for the Pioneer Women show coming to the Poncan Theatre on April 23.

“It’s like being a citizen, you got to be involved in stuff and you got to participate,” said Carter. “And I think we just have a calling to get involved in things and to help whoever we can.”

“I like to find cool stuff and I like to find someone who likes it more”

Bret Carter

Owner of Vintage Swag