Here's the story.

My name is Mario.

I live here in Edison, originally from Brooklyn, New York.

My sister Denise Bowen, she lives in Staten Island, but she was born and raised in Brooklyn.

Before I let her talk, I want to tell you about this jacket.

I got this a couple years ago on Craigslist, actually.

And I met the lady at a very nice big house here in Jersey.

She met me at the end of a long driveway.

With this in her hand, she only charged me $5.

I was like, "This is legit from the '70s."

It's because she had a whole box of men's clothes.

She was practically begging me to buy this stuff.

I think she threw her husband out of the house and was trying to get rid of his stuff.

That's what it sounds like.

Go ahead, Denise.

Well, that's a smart woman.

[MUSIC PLAYING] My name is Becky.

I am from Keyport, New Jersey.

And my shop is Silver Fox Vines.

Hi.

My name is Lauren.

This is my shop, Funhouse Vines Vintage.

And I'm a shop from North Jersey.

My name is Jamila Anderson.

I'm from upstate New York, AKA Albany.

My name's Dori.

And I'm with Dead Vintage.

And this is based on the road.

So I live in a school bus.

And I travel around and do vintage everywhere I can.

My name is Michelle.

I am from Highbridge, New Jersey.

The name of my shop is Rascal's Salvage Vintage.

And I'm an Aquarius.

My name is Wade Dooley.

And we are currently in my little vintage shop on wheels in Edison, New Jersey at the Time Travelers Vintage Expo.

- My name is Sarah Frick, and I am the owner and organizer of Time Travelers Vintage Expo.

My background, my parents were always vintage lovers.

My dad is a musician, he's a guitar player.

So I always kind of emulated like the 60s and 70s rock stars style wise.

My mom was an antique lover, she loved to go estate sailing, thrifting.

So we were always out at garage sales every weekend.

And I've been lucky enough to have the success with this show to where I'm able to work with my family.

My mother is our accounting manager now.

My dad helps out with tickets when we're short handed.

And my sister is our marketing coordinator.

And my husband is my partner in everything that I do.

So it's very much a family business.

Our show is very curated.

So we have open applications on our website, but when we go to these new cities that are, you know, 1,300 miles away, like this show, we're reaching out to people locally and trying to find the local vendors.

And then we also have vendors that travel with us all over the country.

We have vendors from Dallas, Kansas City, Oklahoma, Northwest Arkansas today.

So we do love it.

We do 16 shows a year, so that's 16 weekends that we're away from home.

And we're still trying to find that balance.

Like we want to grow and we want to add more cities, but we also want to be home with our families, with our dog.

So yeah, that too, to have that work-life balance would be nice.

But we do really love what we do.

I mean, we get to be surrounded by vintage records and vintage clothing, which we love.

And to get to meet all of these sellers from around the country that have the same vibe, love the same things we do, it's very special.

For me, vintage is about history and it's about having something unique and completely different than what other people have.

You know, I don't want to go to H&M and buy the same shirt and go to a party and have somebody there wearing the same thing.

You know, I feel like I'm a unique person and I want my clothes to reflect that.

And so I love the hunt.

It's like a modern day treasure hunt.

It's national treasure, going to the thrift store, finding something cool.

And yeah, it's the thrill of the hunt and also just to find something completely unique.

And it's so cool to own something that somebody else owns.

When I was younger, like very small, I used to hang out with my grandma, my grandparents.

Their homes were filled with antiques.

My mom used to go to garage sales, estate sales, and I was just obsessed with finding things.

Like I love trinkets, Chotskys, like that's it.

I know for myself, I had a very sad childhood and seeing like McDonald's and Smurfs and Snoopy, Barney, it all brings me back to like a better place.

It kind of lets me escape a little bit and brings me to like the good times.

Everything kind of like goes back to my grandparents.

My grandma collected antiques and had like the most iconic vintage stuff in her house.

And I think that it really like did a number on me in a way that I didn't realize.

And I also love to shop, which my grandma loved to shop.

She always wore really big scrunchies on her hands and always had leopard print.

So you'll find lots of that in my booth.

But I think that really that was like the beginning of it all.

And then kind of finding it again as I got a little bit older and like this love to like help people find things that help them feel comfortable in their bodies, comfortable with what's on their body, and how they like represent their personality, reflect their personality.

Where did this start for you?

So many people I've talked to today say grandma.

Grandma.

This bus that you can see on the front of the bus is named after my grandmother, Marilyn is the name of this bus.

This is Marilyn right here.

My grandmother was a big shopper.

We had a department store where we're from called Burgner's and shortly after my grandmother died Burgner's closed and we said it was because she died.

She was no longer there to go buy things and she couldn't keep them in business.

So yes, what is your greatest?

The Holy Grail, if you will, these.

Oh, that was easy.

These.

Wow.

I get more compliments on these shoes.

More people ask me about these shoes and talk about them.

It was the best $300 I ever spent.

These were actually an eBay find and they're genuine disco shoes from the 70s, not repros, and yeah, I love them.

Okay, I have a Holy Grail.

It is a 36.5 inch swung base.

They were decorative glass back in the 60s, 70s, some even predated before then, and it is a beautiful bittersweet color, which is an orange or yellow gradient.

It's absolutely beautiful.

I keep it in my office away from everybody, so it can't be touched, but I found it at a thrift store and I was eight months pregnant with my son and it is my absolute prized possession, aside from my dad's record collection that I inherited.

So that was given to me.

So that might actually be my wholly prized possession, but in terms of what I've found in the wild, as we say, it would be that vase.

Oh my gosh.

Honestly, I'm obsessed with this dress right now.

I got this as a little gift for myself.

I have a lot of vintage, but I actually don't get to keep all of it.

And then we had to match with some funky, funky tights and some regular boots.

I feel like I would be in trouble if I didn't say it was Falcor, our luck dragon.

He was a Marketplace find, so anyone that knows Falcor is the dragon from Neverending Story, and on Marketplace we got a giant Falcor head that was from a Buy Nothing group, so we adopted him and he lives in our storage unit and people come and make wishes and meet him all the time, and you can too.

Oh my holy grail, I found a couple recently, but I would have to say a Norma Kamali sleeping bag jacket.

I found it at Goodwill for $11.99, and I did not know what it was until I brought it home, and I found a little tag inside, and I saw the name, and I hadn't known who she was at that point, and I looked online and it was like a $1,000 jacket, so that really kind of set the bar pretty high.

Greatest find ever.

I have this wooden Garfield clock.

It's probably about three feet tall, and it's, oh my gosh, it's beautiful.

It's very rare, and it's not even hanging up in my room.

It's just sitting in my room because I'm so scared to hang it up.

It's so perfect.

Honestly, no.

I don't feel bad.

I found this.

It's my treasure, and if it's going to stay in my room in the corner where it could be safe, it's going to stay there.

Would you pass that dark of a thought on to someone else as your life passes along?

Yes, definitely.

You would be very grateful.

No.

You know what I always think of?

I wonder what my estate sale is going to be like.

It's going to be amazing.

I was born in 1979, so I'm a Gen Xer and I feel like we had the best movies and like curfews that just happened when the streetlights went dark and like TV shows that are totally just unique to us.

Like I feel like our generation was amazing in many ways and I'm happy I lived through all of that.

And I think like part of my job now in life is like to bring that element to other people because I feel like a lot of shoppers that are our age come into the booth and they're like oh my god, ET or Gremlins or ALF.

It's like a secret society and I'm happy to be part of that.

My name is Michelle Iervolino.

I am from Highbridge, New Jersey.

And I am a vintage curator, reseller, vintage shop owner, small business lover, and an Aquarius.

Excuse me.

Would you ever consider going to a thing called the Mrs.

Roper Romp?

Maybe.

Are you inviting me?

Yeah, I mean, I'm more of a jack, but I was just wondering, I was thinking that you'd look great in a caftan.

I mean, I think I would just like, spin around and like, hang out with a bunch of my friends on like, a street.

I don't know, it sounds like a good time.

Let's go.

I wear caftans regularly.

I love them.

It is.

I've worn a caftan for the past three days to different events.

A different caftan.

I could wear a caftan probably... You are the strober.

I really am.

Hi!

What's going on?

Hi!

You look beautiful.

Are you a guest?

I am!

Hi!

I'm Michelle.

Nice to meet you.

Hello!

Hello!

I love ya.

Love ya, Bubbles.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you so much.

Yeah, we're just, you know, making stuff.

We're setting some fun things up for everyone.

We're excited.

It's beautiful out.

You know, I still like to win stuff.

So... Yes!

You know what?

I think I found my tribe.

Yeah, this is your tribe.

This is my tribe.

Hello!

Hello.

This is Kurt.

Kurt is our MC today.

Oh, I love it.

Thank you, I'm the head waiter at the Regal Beagle.

Oh my gosh!

Oh, oh, oh.

Can I have a cocktail?

Of course, of course.

The Regal Beagle!

Thank you.

I love this.

And we do have cocktails too.

Oh, we do?

Yes.

Oh, I haven't had breakfast yet, but that's fine.

It is a good thing.

And with every wristband, you get a Helen and Stanley sticker that I made from an old Topps trading card, which I am obsessed with.

You also get a spot on the runway at the Regal Beagle.

And you also get incentives at participating Main Street businesses in our cute town, not to mention helping us put on small events, well, a bigger event for such a small town and small business.

So, yeah.

Well, take my money, please.

All right.

Here you go.

Here you go, let me give you, put this on, I'll give you some change.

I don't want to make it too tight.

Oh my god, this is like the best day of my entire frickin' life.

Oh my gosh, this is me.

I am in my element.

Yeah, we've been waiting for you.

Where the kisses of hers and hers and his face come into my mind.

Oh my god, black kitty cats, yes!

Okay, I want to live here.

I want to be friends.

Yeah, we can have a sleepover.

Oh my god, that was so great.

I went to my first Roper Romp for my best friend, Christy's 50th birthday.

And we went to Asbury Park, there was like 12 of us, we got dressed up, and we had the best time.

And everyone wanted to be part of our party.

So after we did hers, I was like, "I think I should try to do one at the shop."

So we did one last year, and we had a great turnout, and we had a fashion show, and the best part was that people from all over came.

There was Hellens that showed up by themselves.

And so I kind of was just like, "I think this town needs a Roper Romp."

Highbridge is such a funky, eclectic little town.

And although we're small, there's so many great businesses along Main Street.

So I knew that we could definitely pull something off like that.

Thank you so much.

And they light up!

Stop it!

Light them up!

I think I did.

It is an event that you throw in the spirit and fashion of Helen Roper.

Where we encourage all Helens to come dressed in their favorite Kaftan.

Many have red wigs, crazy big jewelry, sunglasses.

It's really a way just to celebrate her spirit, her fashion and sensibility.

But it's not just all Helen's, Stanley's are welcome as well, Christy's, Janet's, all of it.

So, yeah, so it's just a way for everyone just to kind of get dressed up and come celebrate.

I think she's so many things to so many people.

For me, when I watched Three's Company, I was very young.

So there were a lot of things that kind of went over my head and that's okay.

But I knew that there was a naughty part to Helen and I knew every time the door opened and she came in and kind of sashayed and spun around, whether she had a drink in her hand or not, it was like a good time.

So for me, she's just kind of like letting loose.

You know, she's all accepting.

She's a friend to everyone, and I think that that's really important.

And in days and times where we all could use a pick-me-up, she's like the sure-fire way to get it started.

[MUSIC PLAYING] Welcome, Helens.

You all look fabulous.

Thank you.

OK, so why are you here?

To celebrate all Hellens in the world, and especially Helen Roper.

Excellent, yeah, I'm here today also to celebrate Helen, but to do something outside my comfort zone.

I love that for you.

Fantastic.

Good on you.

So I love anything Hawaiian, tropical, tiki, caftan, Sihomai Yard.

[MUSIC PLAYING] I love this.

She's just very free spirited and kind of just very, you know, go with the flow.

And that's the kind of person I am, so yeah.

She always had like a quick comeback.

And I mean you've got to love her fashion sense, right?

She was the free spirit of the entire show.

You know, as a gay man of a certain age, I remember watching that show and knowing as a little kid that A. Stanley was gay and Helen was his beard.

I'm the mayor here in Highbridge and I can't tell you how exciting this event is for our community because there's nothing like a block full of Helens.

[cheering] Can you sing the Three's Company theme song?

I will do the introduction.

Are you ready?

[singing] Come and knock on our door Come and knock on our door We've been waiting for you We've been waiting for you Where the kisses are Hers and hers and his three's company too come and dance on our floor dance on our floor take a step that is new place that needs your face three's company two three's company too (singing) (music) We're going down this way to find our buddy (music) Let's do it ladies, rope her on my hellens [Music] You gotta yell it out.

Tom's River.

I mean Tom's River is the Bronx of New Jersey.

That's what they do say.

Right?

Yes, no, maybe, so Tom's River.

It could be a tie.

You still won absolutely nothing.

I can just hear a reach to say, "Hey, do you guys like the camera guy?"

[Cheering] I'm a baby wanker.

Nice.

I'm fired.

I think it's just a way to like escape the normal weekend hangout and just have something.

You know, we all have like that outfit in the closet or those shoes or like anything where it's like, "Where am I going to wear this?"

And instead it's like, I feel like the Roper Romp is like, "I am wearing this to this event, and this is what I'm going to go do there.

I'm going to make friends.

I'm going to maybe have a drink or two.

I'm going to show..." You know, we all, all the Hellens show up resembling each other, but we all make it different.

And I just think it truly brings a lot of joy.

[MUSIC] >> I didn't even see the fence.

>> You can put your, put stuff on the counter for a maybe pile if you want.

>> Sure, sure.

Do you find that often people who come into your shop already have that kind of look of somebody from a different time or they have like a look, let's just put it that way?

I do think so, it's like their own look.

We talked earlier just about being true to yourself and wearing the things you want to wear and dressing the way you want to dress and wear the crazy outfit that you're saving for a special occasion because like make it any day.

But yes, it's like personal style and it's super inspiring and then the best part is actually seeing all the stuff that they find in the shop and then they bring it to the front and I'm like jealous of their haul.

[MUSIC] Honestly, I get to make friends with everyone that comes in and we already have something in common, which is our love for vintage.

And I'm flattered that they're coming in supporting our small business and it's like inspiring to see what our customers buy and what they like and the stories that they tell.

And like I said, the haul that they come up with at the end, even though it's an our shop, they like treasure hunt for it here.

And then they kind of just like curate this like little story and Dan came in and did dead stock clothing and he definitely loved heavy metal, which is awesome.

And Kevin was earlier and he got stuff for his dorm room, but they make the experience here just as special as I wanna make it for them.

So very cool.

>> Can I ask you one more question?

>> I guess.

>> Can we go see Falcor?

Okay, let's do it.

Sometimes people have us take them to meet him and it's a surprise and that's the best because you're luring strangers down a gravel driveway to a storage unit so what what's the worst thing that can happen?

A lot.

All right.

What's behind door number four?

[MUSIC] I encourage everyone to make a wish, to keep it a secret.

And one of the wishes I'll share with you actually though, on our wedding day, it was rainy.

It was raining like the whole week, it was an outdoor wedding.

And I kind of just was like, you know what, it's gonna rain and it's fine and I'm not gonna talk about it.

And when I came here, I had to pick up some supplies to bring over and I was like, come on Falcor, if it could not rain.

And it ended up, the skies cleared up and it was like the most beautiful day.

It was really hot, but he didn't make it rain for like 12 hours.

So thanks, Falcor.

So we've been fortunate enough to get to see all the very cool things you have in your shop and at home.

And this amazing dog you have, Gravy, and you have this husband that loves to thrift with you.

But of all the very cool things that you've managed to find and collect, is Falkor the thing, the holy grail of things that you've managed to find?

He's definitely the holy grail.

I think the best part of finding Falkor was that it was just like so random.

Such a crazy saying yes to picking him up and adopting him.

Having the perfect home for him.

He loves living here.

But I think the best is that I get to share him with everyone.

And his journey doesn't end here.

I don't know where he'll end up next.

Maybe if we have a bigger shop one day, but I see his journey very long and in loving hands and so that his luck granting can continue.

But for the time being he's here, he'll always be my best and favorite find and discovery.

[MUSIC] >> I think that people connect to things in the past because it holds such a special place in their hearts and treating yourself and honoring who you are and the way you dress and how you live and the things you collect and the art you hang on your wall are just reminders of who you are as you're evolving and I think that my favorite times when people come in and they purchase things or find just like a book oh my grandma used to read this to me or my uncle had this hanging in his kitchen or I used to drink apple juice out of this.

It's like those things like spark joy and we need to bring more of that into our lives and in a world that is over consumes everything being able to take all of these objects and give them more life is like such a special gift that we're able to do.

And when you get to look around where you live and see all of those things that you've collected, whether they're things from your childhood and you were able to complete the collection when you're in your 30s or 40s, like how cool is that?

[Music]