GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Shaun Dolan was a school art teacher for 18 years. When the COVID-19 pandemic started, he decided it was time for a change.
“I really feel like teaching kind of prepared me for this," he said.
One year ago, Dolan and his wife opened Wonderland Vintage Market in Green Bay, a shop he describes as a modern antique mall. From vintage clothes, to neon signs, records and relics from the past, you never know what you'll find, he said.
“I think it's got a great atmosphere," said Dolan. "My goal was to make a cool store that was fun to shop at. Collectibles and vintage stuff has always been my passion and my hobby. So that's been a part of me since I was a little kid. I think teaching has really helped me with dealing with vendors and customers and educating people. I love learning about stuff in here so that I can educate the customer on an item.”
More than 50 vendors occupy the booths; some are experienced with vintage sourcing, but others are new to the scene, like Dolan's 17-year-old son, who has a T-shirt booth. It's truly a family business, with Dolan's sister working the counter most weekdays and his wife in on weekends.
"I've never had so much fun being so busy," said Dolan. "Time flies when you're having fun. Do something you like and you'll never work a day again."
The shop sees frequent customers return, as well as new customers from near and far, like Cindy Stephens, an avid vintage-lover who just moved to Forrest Junction and was checking out Wonderland for the first time.
“I sew and quilt, and so I have an area that I'm looking for some specific things to put my fabric in," she said. "So I'm kind of looking for that neat, eclectic piece.”
The primary purpose of going to vintage or antique stores is to buy items, but it's also a great way to just spend some free time, said Stephens.
“There's a lot of legacy there," she said. "And I think it's great for younger people to learn about our past and our history. There's a lot of neat things, a lot of fun things. And I think my joy a lot of time is is finding the toys, the old toys, and old things I had as a child. Little pieces that bring back good memories.”
It's those reactions that make all the hard work worth it, said Dolan.
“You hear people laughing, kind of taking a trip down memory lane talking about, ‘We had these in our kitchen,’ or ‘We had this in the living room,’" he said. "And then they're just having fun reminiscing.”
Wonderland is celebrating its one-year anniversary all week long, with sales at different booths and on the floor. There are also seven baskets, filled with items from different vendors, like a sustainable basket and a chalk paint one. For every $25 a customer spends, Wonderland will let them put one raffle ticket in.
