New vintage and pre-loved clothing shop opens this weekend in Cork

A CORK woman who has run an online consignment store for the past six years is bucking the trend and is opening her own bricks and mortar shop in Midleton.

Katie Sloane is the powerhouse behind Peach Vintage, where she sells pre-loved and vintage clothes, which she was motivated to launch by her love of clothes, and her distaste for fast fashion.

She uses the original consignment model: she takes clothes from the public, sells them, and they get 40% of the price.

Originally from Midleton, she insists she never had a big plan or dream to ultimately open a shop, but in many ways she’s been a victim of her own success: there’s a waiting list of people who want her to sell their clothes, and she has customers nationwide.

And even though she admits to being both nervous and excited, and has ‘made peace’ with the fact there mightn’t be a stream of customers every day, she’s ready to take the step and open a store in her home town.

Katie always shopped second hand, motivated by her concern for the environment, long before it became a ‘thing’, and after spending time in America she developed a love of vintage.

Working in corporate sales here for 10 years, she always wore pre-loved outfits to ladies’ lunches and events – but wasn’t always confident enough to admit it.

Someone would nearly always comment on my outfit and admire it, but to be honest, I was embarrassed to say that I got it in a second hand shop.

This was before that became ‘trendy’,” she recalled.

“Eventually, I realised I had to be true to myself and realised that it was OK to buy second hand, and I started to resell unwanted clothing on social media,” she said.

Not long after, she took the plunge and went full-time with Peach Vintage, which has two strands; the online shop peachvintageclothing.com where she sells her higher-end items, and ‘Peachy auction’ where she auctions the cheaper items on a private group on Facebook.

“I don’t like to turn away stock as it’s just not part of my ethos so that’s why I started ‘Peachy auction’ on Facebook. You could have over 1,000 people bidding every week and it’s great fun,” she said.

Up until December, Katie was also selling in local markets, and as if all that wasn’t busy enough, she also works for horse trainer James Motherway as an exercise rider, three days a week.

“I’ve been riding since I was 12. In fact, my first job when I was 17 was with James and I’ve been back at his yard for the past four years. 

Race horses are like a drug, I can’t get away from them.

Ironically, Katie says she’s ‘terrified’ of heights or skiing and is only a fan of speed when on a horse.

“Thoroughbreds are just so different, so intuitive, they can practically see into your soul, they’re just amazing. I know the horses personally, and they know me. I can honestly say my mental health would not be as good if it wasn’t for horses. I’ve had the same life experiences as most people, but I can feel my mood shifting for the better when I’m with them – I’m really blessed they’re my counsellors,” she said.

Katie is also a dog lover and lost her beloved pet Freddie, in December, 2022.

“We’d had him for 13 years. He was the love of our lives and I was honestly heartbroken after him,” she remembers.

That was a tough year for her family when they lost seven people close to them, and Katie decided to walk the Camino in Spain as part of the healing process.

Not long after her return, she saw a cat on the Munster Lost and Found website.

“He was on his last legs. When I sent a picture of him to my boyfriend Mario, he thought I was actually joking! And even though I’d never had a cat before and they told me he mightn’t live for long, I knew he was for us.

“We called him Mushroom and we had him for 11 months before he passed and he healed my heart,” she said.

Katie is walking the Camino again, this time in aid of Munster Lost and Found, as part of her way to say thanks.

The shop is set to launch, at Courtyard No 8, Main Street, Midleton P25 KR79, on May 4 and for now it’s all hands on deck.

“The idea is that it will become a ‘destination’ for people and we’ll have a living room vibe with artists’ work on show, and an open door policy,” she said.

And it’s going to be a family affair: her dad John has done all the building work while her mum Cathy and two younger sisters Lynda and Melanie are also huge supports and will help out when the doors open, three days a week (Thursday to Saturday).

The shop will, she says, be a place where customers can find items they truly love.

It’s not a dumping ground for fast fashion.

“People come to me with things they’ve found in their mam’s attic, and it’s a chance for them to go to people who really want them.”