beatys9

Whenever I catch the bus to work I walk by a store in downtown Seattle where the primary decor is floor to ceiling vintage sewing machines. I always look at them in the window but today I took my camera with me & went into the shop to photograph them. There are so many it's an amazing sight! I've never owned or used a vintage machine but I just love looking at them as I walk by the store. Unfortunately, the photos from outside into the windows did not come out well - the interior shots are better.

coloradosky

Oh how I wish! I wonder if the machines will be donated to a museum when the company decides to "remodel" their storefront. Shannon, thanks for sharing.

beatys9

Good thought on the museum but I wonder how many of them still work or could be brought back. Many, I'd guess. As I was standing there taking the pictures, a woman walked by and said to me "None of it's made in the U.S. you know..." I replied, "I don't care about the clothes, I like the machines."

Linda - K.

What is the name of the store and where is it located? I would love to go down and see them. (I live 65 mi north of Seattle.

Vintage.Singers.NYC

The store is called All-Saints Spitalfields, and it's not limited to Seattle. That's a British clothing chain and every single one of their stores--Seattle, Las Vegas, New York, et cetera--are all decorated the same way, with tons of vintage machines on those racks.

I'd heard (but never been able to find direct print evidence) that the owner of the chain has a bad case of SMAD and practically cleared out the UK secondhand sewing machine market to stock the store displays worldwide.

The All-Saints store near me in New York also has, on the floor, some impressive and gigantic 19th-century Singer industrial sewing machines that are the size of motorcycles. Just staggering to see in person.

coopah

i'll bite. What is SMAD?

beatys9

Hi Linda. In Seattle, it's at the corner of 5th & Pine St. There's virtually nowhere to park but you could make a day of it at Seattle Center & catch the monorail downtown. It drops you just a block away from the store. Are you up Bellingham way?

Mornigstar

Haven't posted for long long time but had to tell you ----
April while in South Beach , outside Miami, we hunted for that store for 3 hrs. It's in Lincoln St Mall which
is a street mall not far from City Hall. It is just as Beatsy9 showed --AWESOME.
We drove over from west coast of Fl to go there since a man told my brother about it and he wanted to surprise
me. Sure was a surprise. Salesman said --373 machines, some had parts missing Some larger loom and machines around too. Glad they didn't end up as land fill. Our photo's sure look alike.
Told there are a number of stores around the globe mostly in large US cities and Europe. Know other people have
gone to see machines only. Clothes geared for young junior size. Nothing in the store to fit me but lovely. Too
expensive for my prices.
Think a few yrs ago someone on QB wrote about this store in New York City showing a photo but didn't go into
details about a chain. Hope to get back to that area in Fl. Website shows clothes but no decor so look to find
a store near you. Unbelievable !

BEEZNEEZ

hI, i LIVE 65 MI n OF sEATTLE...IN bELLINGHAM hOWDY NEIGHBOR

Linda - K.

Thanks for the address of the store. I live outside Marysville (Lake Goodwin area) but have a Stanwood address. I know there is a big mess trying to find parking in Seattle. I usually don't go often cause of that but have 2 cousins coming from WI & OH in the fall and they want to "do Seattle" so will have to do my best then to find parking. Of course, they want to do the market and hopefully I'll find parking close by but with the viaduct mess, who knows how that will go! The cousin from WI is a quilter and if we get downtown I'll have to find that store as she might be interested seeing the old machines also.