Step Inside this New Vintage Shop in Providence

Alifair Skebe standing by the antique jewelry counter.

Cleaning out your forgotten spaces is good for a multitude of reasons. For Alifair Skebe, cleaning out her attic is how she got the idea to start her vintage business, Project Attic.

As she sifted through family members’ buried items from the past, she thought of ways to make the garments vibrant, fun and wearable. The name comes from where it all began, her attic.

“The tagline kept creeping up in my head,” says Skebe. “‘Project Runway’ meets grandma’s attic.”

Skebe opened Project Attic as an online and vendor-focused business in 2018, after she and her husband moved to Providence from Albany, New York. Booths at Nostalgia and the Providence Flea helped her build a clientele and offer customers the ability to try on clothing before purchasing. She also had a showroom on North Main Street for customers to shop in person.

Racks of true vintage goodies fill the store.

Last June, Skebe decided to open a storefront in the Fox Point area after finding out about an open space on Wickenden Street.

“Everything kind of just fell into my lap,” she says. “I thought, well, ‘Let’s try this out and see how it goes.’”

The shop is nestled in an old building, which adds to the vintage charm. Skebe decorated the space using the wearable art for sale, with the walls acting as an understated backdrop for the vintage goods to take center stage.

“I think the building was built in 1900, and it’s been all kinds of things, including at one time a dress shop and a high-end lingerie shop,” says Skebe. “Some of my customers have come in and they remember it from that time. Some of them were little girls back then and remembered how it was. I think it’s so exciting and compelling to hear that.”

Project Attic specializes in true vintage, meaning items from the 1970s and older. The shop also offers classic garments like a dress from the 1860s, which catches eyes in the store’s window display. She focuses on quality when adding items to the store, which is why she zeroes in on authentic, old school clothing.

“Back then, they were thoughtful in the construction of the garments,” says Skebe.
“When I’m going to estate sales and scouting items, I want a good conversation across the eras. I’m looking for more archival, museum-quality pieces, but at the same time, items people can wear daily.”

Skebe recently added Y2K clothing and a bridal section to the shop, complete with vintage bridal dresses and night wear. She restores all of the 1900s–1960s dresses that need mending, and hopes to offer sewing, mending and embroidery classes in the coming months.

While the storefront is only in its first year, Skebe enjoys her title of shop owner and watching customers discover their next forever piece.

“I love seeing people excited about the things that maybe they didn’t remember they loved,” she says. “It’s beautiful to see customers find joy and delight in the clothing. Seeing people bring life to these historical pieces is one of the biggest highlights.” project-attic.com