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Why Balmedie vintage shop should be your first stop for home glow up

Ever wondered how to add a touch of the unusual to your home? Head along to Old School Vintage in Balmedie.

Chris and Craig Lamont are at the helm of Old School Vintage in Balmedie. 
Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson
Chris and Craig Lamont are at the helm of Old School Vintage in Balmedie. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

If you’re planning a trip to Old School Vintage, I recommend clearing your diary for at least several hours.

Found in Balmedie on the site of the former mushroom farm, the warehouse is actual heaven.

Whether you’re a vintage enthusiast or simply nosy, you can easily spend an afternoon browsing the quirky wares.

And proud father and son team, Craig and Chris Lamont, are only too happy to indulge all manner of customers.

Chris and Craig Lamont outside Old School Vintage in Balmedie.
Chris and Craig Lamont are behind Old School Vintage in Balmedie. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

The lovely pair have built up a dedicated following, and are now branching out into party hire for those after a certain look.

Their success is all the more impressive given that they both juggle the business with their nine-five jobs.

Craig works in the oil and gas industry, while Chris is a support worker in the care sector.

Chris shows off the records section at Old School Vintage.
Chris balances Old School Vintage with working in the care sector. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

But they both hope to take Old School Vintage full time, especially given that the love for vintage interiors is at an all time high.

You won’t find soaring prices however, because Chris and Craig are firm believers in finding forever homes for their items.

This means they’d rather a beloved old sideboard go on to find a new lease of life, instead of selling to the highest bidder.

This is vintage with soul, an ethos which is rare to find in a consumer driven world.

We caught up with Craig and Chris to find out more.

Lots of books and other treasures at Balmedie shop.
There’s many a treasure to be unearthed at Old School Vintage. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson.

“It started out as a hobby and just grew from there,” said Craig.

“You could say I was a big hoarder, I started out selling things on eBay.”

Prices vary from £1 to £600, with items classed as vintage and retro if they are 25 years old and beyond.

“We’re not the type of shop where we follow you around dressed in tweed,” said Chris.

“We’re not fussy, we just want people to come in and enjoy looking around.

It’s a vibe. This Seventies themed party look was put together thanks to items rented from Old School Vintage in Balmedie. Image supplied by Chris Lamont.

“People come in for so many different reasons, we opened up for the day after a customer wanted to come in with his mum, who had dementia.

“We’ve also got a strong focus on green credentials.

“Many of our items go on to be reused, upcycled etc.

“We love seeing people save things from landfill, with a bit of imagination it’s amazing what you can do.”

Rocking horses are on offer for £15 at Old School Vintage.
Several rocking horses could also be picked up at Old School Vintage. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

Chris and Craig get many of their wares from house clearances, and are now breaking into the events industry.

“We have one client with a mansion house in Fife,” said Chris.

“It’s getting turned into a wedding venue, so it has been fantastic to help out by providing different items.

“We’re also excited about offering items to rent, we had someone do a Seventies themed party recently and the look they created was amazing.”

The pair want to take Old School Vintage full-time.
The pair are eventually hoping to take the business full time. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

When they’re not discovering rare finds, Chris and Craig take to social media with what Chris calls the Sunday summary.

“It’s really a blurb about what’s happened that week, and personal stories of the customers who come in,” said Chris.

“It does pretty well and I think that’s what people love about vintage, there’s often a story to be told.”

If you want to find out more, pop on down to Old School Vintage, which is not only dog friendly, but in the process of becoming wheelchair accessible.

You can also follow them on Facebook or check out their eBay page.