‘Creating the Little Five Points of Columbus.’ See inside this store’s new vibe
Thrifting has been a major trend among Gen Z these past few years, and Columbus is about to get another major thrift store in downtown — with the same owner.
The Vibe on 6th, 1301a Sixth Ave., will host its grand opening at 11 a.m. May 3. The store has expanded from its neighboring business, Vintageville. The 12,500-square-foot warehouse was completely renovated, turning a former vintage furniture store into a vintage market, complete with 60-plus indoor vendors, a hair salon, live events space and record store.
The store also will offer a buy-sell-trade model, where customers can trade in their vintage pieces in exchange for items within the store.
Vintageville and The Vibe on 6th are owned by Columbus natives Michael Woodham and Candace Tilson.
“We’re creating the Little Five Points of Columbus,” Woodham told the Ledger-Enquirer.
Meet the owners of the Vibe on 6th
Woodham bought Vintageville two and a half years ago. It was a former farmhouse-style furniture store, he said, and the former owners were having trouble retaining regular customers.
“How often do you need a dining room table or night stands?” Woodham said. “I needed to build a business model that would bring returning clients.”
Woodham expanded the indoor vendors from having nine to over micro-retail storefronts. With thrifting becoming a trend over the past few years, Woodham said customers steadily have been coming to Vintageville. The expansion will add a record store, salon, live event space and more to the clothing store.
“We are a more curated, elevated shopping experience, while also still trying to be in an affordable price range to fit the current economic scheme,” Woodham said. “We’re not throwing Atlanta prices out. We’re not throwing national prices out. We really are trying to be here for the people.”
He recruited Tilson, owner of Fountain City Mystic, to join in the expansion. He has known Tilson for several years, meeting her while he still was operating his mobile bar business, TapWagen. Woodham described their meeting as “kismet.”
“Everything I’ve done is kind of like a stepping stone for me to get to this point,” Woodham said. “It’s so exciting.”
What is The Vibe on 6th?
The Vibe on 6th is a thrift store with micro-retail storefronts. Each corner has a different theme. At the center of the store is the “pink pony” area, paying homage to singer Chappell Roan’s Pink Pony Club. On the front left side is a 1970s-inspired wall of roller skates, and on the right is an area to play retro video games. The space is filled with many different things housed under a roof, which Woodham said is by design.
“We’ve kept everything here kind of hush so no one really knows what the Vibe on 6th is,” Woodham said. “It’s just the vibe. That’s the only way I could describe this.”
Renovations of the space began just over 40 days ago. Woodham and Tilson began with a completely empty warehouse.
“We’ve been pulling 16-hourdays consistently,” Woodham said. “I’ve been staying here until 4 a.m. My business partner, Candace, has slept here a couple times. We’re breaking our bodies down to make this happen and meet our deadline.”
Woodham said this grand opening is just the beginning for the new venture. He plans to build a photography studio in the Vintageville side of the store. He also plans to have open-air market events.
“The hard work doesn’t stop when we open,” Woodham said.
This story was originally published May 1, 2025 at 5:00 AM.