Get Your Vintage On at Rusty Coop

By Sam Watson , Peninsula Pulse – May 25th, 2023

Last year’s Rusty Coop. Photo courtesy of Silverwear by Misty.

Whether you’re a seasoned antique hunter or just vintage curious, you’re sure to stumble across some interesting finds at the upcoming Rusty Coop Vintage Barn Market. In advance, we talked to Misty Nagan, a De Pere jewelry artist who’s hosting the event, to get a sneak preview of this year’s Rusty Coop. Responses have been edited for clarity.

**Misty Nagan. Photo courtesy of Silverwear by Misty.**

Sam Watson (SW): What was the inspiration behind the Rusty Coop?

Misty Nagan (MN): I’ve traveled all over the United States selling my jewelry – I’ve been doing that for almost 10 years now – and I go to lots of events like Rusty Coop: events that combine vintage shopping with art and food and live music.

So I’ve done all these shows, and everyone in my life has been like, “Why do you travel so far for these events?” And I’m like, “We don’t have anything like that in Wisconsin.” So after years, I thought, why don’t I start one?

SW: When was your first Rusty Coop?

MN: In 2021, we hosted our first event in Kewaunee. Last year was the first time we did it in Door County.

SW: How many vendors are slated for this year’s market?

MN: Over 80. It’s double the vendors we had the first time. We started with around 40 the first year, and we had over 2,000 people come over the weekend.

SW: What will this year’s vendors be offering?

MN: We’ll have some young vintage items like T-shirts, vinyl and furniture, as well as art and boutique-style clothing. We have local vendors, as well as people coming from Milwaukee, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, all over. That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to have this event in Door County – I really wanted to make it worth the trip.

SW: What else is going on at Rusty Coop over the weekend?

MN: We have an insane food-truck lineup – a coffee truck, a pizza truck, a barbecue truck, a bunch more. We also have live music by Unity on Friday [reggae, 5-8 pm]; then Cathy Grier [blues, 10 am – 12 pm] and Rob Anthony [Americana, 1-4 pm] on Saturday.

Then we have workshops, too. There’s a charcuterie workshop where you can get a drink and make your own little cheese board; there’s a glass-blowing workshop at Burnt Bluff next door; and there are yoga classes both days, among other things. There’s so much going on that you’re going to want to come back the next day.