Welcome to Behind the Booth, where we get to know the incredible vendors behind our Vintage Emporiums.

Discover their stories, favorite finds, collecting passions, and the personalities that make every visit a new adventure.

Meet Brian, the King of Childhood Nostalgia at NVE Ware-House!

1. Give us the elevator pitch. Who are you, and what treasure-filled path led you to vintage?

- My name is Brian and I collect and sell advertising, vintage action figure toys from the 80s, 90s, 2000s, and ones that go as far back as the 30s. Also, I have media sections with DVDs, CDs, LPs and anything gaming from the 1980s and 90s, as well as a selection of vintage games, toys, and much more.

2. If someone walked into your booth for the first time, what would they find—and what might surprise them?

- Lots of packaged stuff from the 70s and 80s which are hard to find. They would find signs that I sell on condition, the signs are not just cheap signs and are not rusty, and there are surprises to that kind of mixed in. Expect to find vintage toys from the 70s and 80s, and as far back as the 30s. The biggest surprise would be the nostalgia that people feel, since I sell nostalgic and retro style stuff. My booth brings people back to when they were kids. Since it is such a wide range of decades and items, nostalgia hits everybody.

3. Describe your booth style in three words. (No pressure, but we’ll judge them.)

- Nostalgia, Retro, and Childhood.

4. What are you always hunting for when you’re out picking, thrifting, or treasure hunting?

-I am always looking for packaged items. When I am out, I am thinking about the generations 10 years from now and looking for items from 2000-2020 for the younger collectors, which are collectors aged 20-25. Pokémon cards and items are great and a specific thing I look for. I also look for anything Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network since they are becoming popular with the late 90s and early 2000s items.

5. What is your current favorite piece in your booth?

-Godzilla. It is in great condition and is from 1977 with all the pieces.

6. What’s one thing people often overlook when shopping vintage?

- If people are collecting, especially for profit wise, to look for 2000-2015 items are what to look for. Cartoon Network items are going to be very popular and are often overlooked. What people were playing with or watching when they are 4/5, they will want back at 20-30. So, looking for items that are nostalgic not just for your generation but for younger generations that would usually be overlooked is the way to go.

If your booth had a theme song, what would it be?

-A song from an 80s metal band like Master of Puppets by Metallica. Any song that is character-related in tv shows, like the Flintstone’s theme song or even the 90210 TV show theme song. I collect TV characters, so any song like that would be perfect. Also, any song from my big assortment of games like Walden or Dukes of Hazard would be good.

Visit the Booth

Inspired by Brians’s story? You can explore their collection at NVE Ware-House, located in Aisle 1.

Like every booth at the Emporium, it’s always evolving—so no two visits are ever the same.

VISIT NVE WARE-HOUSE