Feral Heart Club is downtown York's newest vintage boutique - and it screams nostalgia
Walking down North Beaver Street, if you spot a cheetah-print rug, alongside racks of colorful vintage clothing, you've made your way to Feral Heart Club, downtown York's newest vintage clothing shop.
Outside the tiny storefront, you'll find bright pink dresses, cool orange pants, jumpsuits from the '70s, '80s, '90s, and yes, early 2000s. And inside, there’s so much more.
You’re greeted by Pierre, a handsome rescue dog often dressed in a patterned scarf, who guards his mom’s store, and greets guests – except the mailman – as they browse hundreds of second-hand pieces.
Behind the counter, you’ll find shop owner Ariel Linebaugh, whose personality is as vibrant as her outfit.
As a child, Linebaugh grew up in East York on 18 acres of pure woods, in a cabin with her family. Her grandparents lived next door.
She had sort of a “Little House on the Prairie” lifestyle, and her fondest memories include accompanying her mother and grandmother on early morning weekend runs to local estate and yard sales.
Ever since, finding old treasures and bringing them back to life has been her hobby – and now her full-time job.
“It’s like a hobby gone wrong,” she joked.
Rather than finding items, Linebaugh likes to think the items found her. And when she comes across them, she will fix them up, along with her seamstress mother.
She used to refurbish vintage pieces and resell them to pay for new, used items she brought in.
Linebaugh will even clean out old homes or barns to save items that could be used again from the trash. She calls it “search and rescue.”
Her collection grew immensely, and Linebaugh held pop-up shops and attended flea markets in Baltimore, Lancaster and Harrisburg, where she would set up a booth and sell her items.
Five months ago, she opened her shop in downtown York.
Feral Heart Club
Her store screams vintage from the racks of thrifted, second-hand items she personally finds at estate sales and through thrifting.
The bright pink shop is adorned with butterfly paintings, glitter fringe, rainbow rugs, and to complete the vintage theme – miniature disco balls hanging from the ceiling.
One of her favorite items in the shop currently is a size 12, 1970s Alfred Shahin long sleeve bright orange dress, with gold psychedelic patterns.
“They just don’t make them like they used to. Even the quality of the garments, it’s not like that anymore – with vintage clothing – they’re made to be kept in your closet for a long period of time,” said Linebaugh.
Linebaugh also sells handmade earrings, which she crafts herself, as well as all-natural makeup products, which she learned to make while working at the Sunrise Soap Company, just a few doors down, a few years ago.
As someone who has lived and worked in downtown York for years, Linebaugh said it’s been a dream come true to open her store and she hopes the colors and patterns can spark joy to everyone who walks in the door.
Linebaugh will also set up her vintage finds the 717 Vintage Fest at the New York Wire Works building on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5.
Feral Heart Club is located at 49 N. Beaver St., York.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Feral Heart Club is downtown York PA's newest vintage boutique
