Melody Blair and her daughter, Callie, are the proprietors of Minnie Lane, 112 East Third Street, Maryville. The shop offers shabby chic vintage items such as jewelry, hats and needle work.

Melody Blair and her daughter, Callie, are the proprietors of Minnie Lane, 112 East Third Street, Maryville. The shop offers shabby chic vintage items such as jewelry, hats and needle work.

By Kathryn Rice

The vintage shop, Minnie Lane, 112 East Third Street, Maryville, is a family affair.

While Melody Blair and her daughter, Callie, are the proprietors, the whole family helped renovate the building and set up shop.

Melody has a bachelor’s in fine arts with an emphasis in fibers and jewelry and delights in taking “found items” and turning them into works of art.

Displayed at the back of Minnie Lane is a curving wall of label spools. The delightful three-dimensional piece incorporates other found items that would have been thrown away.

“We live in a society where everything is disposable,” said Melody about why she likes to upcycle used items.

Blair named the shop after her grandmother, Minnie Lane. She drew inspiration from her grandmother’s photos of the retail store FM Pinkerton, Marshalltown, IA. Lane worked there circa 1908.

The new shop features rustic, shabby chic vintage items and one-of-a-kind items, such as handmade pottery, leather handbags and other art-related gifts. Because many items are consigned, the selection is varied and always changing.

Blair, her husband, David, and their family moved to Maryville in 1991 to open a costume and alteration shop. The Blairs picked Maryville because they thought it would provide their now grown seven children a safe environment in which to grow up.

Her costume making has taken an interesting turn in recent years with the advent of cosplay and steampunk. Cosplay is an abbreviation of “costume-play.” The term refers to dressing up as an anime, manga or game character. Steampunk is a genre of fiction, usually set in a Victorian alternate history. It can be described as what the past would look like if the future had happened sooner.

With individuals attending conventions devoted to cosplay, Melody started making costumes for them to wear. Using finds from thrift stores and yard sales, she has developed elaborate costumes with an eye for detail and craftsmanship. She became so enamoured with the genre, she started making costumes and attending the conventions with her family.

Blair also enjoys helping brides create a unique style. “Not everyone is a traditional bride,” she said. “You have goth, emo brides and others who are not interested in white and ivory. If someone is doing a themed wedding, it is hard to find the necessary clothing. I can help them out on that.”

Minnie Lane is open 10 am to 6 pm, Monday-Friday, and 10 am to 2 pm, Saturday. For more information about the store, visit minnielane.com or the Facebook page, Minnie Lane.