Tucked in the back of Long Beach Vintage there’s a small hub for pop culture relics of yesteryear specializing in pre-2000s vintage goods.
A look around the Can’t Quit You Baby Vintage booth will produce a Captain Crunch plush doll, a 1992 Street Fighter II lunch box and an X Men Animated Series VHS tape.
Vintage and collectible enthusiasts Freedom Tripodi and partner Lauren Rosenblatt handpick all of the toys,memorabilia and home goods available at the booth, which they opened in April 2021.
“We’re nostalgia fiends,” Tripodi said. “We were like ‘We can’t be alone, right?’ There [are] other people who miss this stuff, want it back or they never saw it before and they have to have it.”
The shop opened when the duo—long-time collectors of pop culture relics—moved to Los Angeles from Brooklyn three years ago.
“The vintage scene out here is drastically different than New York,” Tripodi said. “It’s much more vibrant, there’s much more opportunity.”
LA Vintage Map lists 253 vintage shops in Los Angeles, 16 of which are in Long Beach, compared to just over 100 in the Brooklyn borough. Los Angeles is also home to the Rose Bowl Flea Market, which includes over 2,000 vendors specializing in vintage goods.
Tripodi started his collection in 1979 with Star Wars, G.I. Joe and Transformers figurines he started accumulating as a boy in the Bronx. As his and Rosenblatt’s collection aged, it became vintage.
Today, Tripodi’s shop also carries remnants of the ‘70s for those who want a glimpse back at their childhood.
“This brings back memories,” wrote one commenter on an Instagram post of a 1978 Jim Davis Odie (Garfield) suitcase. “My brother had this one and I had the one with Garfield on it.”
People sharing memories on the shop’s Instagram is a common occurrence, Tripodi and Rosenblatt said.
“It’s actually pretty cool because people will sometimes tell stories about being out shopping with their mom and they would really want [an item] and they couldn’t have it,” he said. The shop serves as a patron’s chance at owning a toy they always wanted.
Collectibles, such as Ms. Piggy Dress Up dolls from the ‘80s or vintage troll dolls (there’s a pram full of the pink-haired dolls) are the shop’s bread and butter.
Tripodi and Rosenblatt scour online auctions, California thrift stores, flea markets, estate sales, and people’s personal collections in search of “treasures” for their shop—their favorite part of the job.
“It’s the best,” Tripodi said of the search. “Coming across this cool stuff, getting excited about it, reliving the memories and that combined with someone else being stoked about it.”
One of their favorite finds—currently in stock—is a light-up “Tales from the Crypt” crypt keeper candelabra dating back to the mid-90s based on the fictional character known for its humor and cackle.
The crypt keeper hosted the horror anthology television series which ran from 1989 to 1996 and whose popularity eventually led to an animated horror children’s series.
For the magazine enthusiasts, the shop has part of a wall (from the ground to eye-level) dedicated to vintage magazines such as MAD and Playboy. The rack is one of the shop’s latest additions.
Surrounded by classic items up for a second chance, Tripodi views his shop as “waste management.”
“[We’re] keeping this stuff from going to landfills,” Tripodi said. “Or it’s keeping people from buying [brand] new toys.”
Tripodi, who left his job in cannabis delivery to pursue his passion for vintage items and collectibles feels “awesome” to be surrounded by nostalgia. Rosenblatt splits her time as a creative director for a clothing company.
“It’s pretty rad,” Tripodi said. “The idea that we’re making people happy simply just by providing a venue for them to relive their memories.”
To keep up with Can’t Quit You Baby Vintage follow them on Instagram at @cantquityoubabyvintage.
Can’t Quit You Baby Vintage is located inside Long Beach Vintage at 737 Pine Ave and is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
