After hosting what could have been considered one of the vintage couture sales in the state (let alone country) last September, Patric Richardson is on a roll. The owner of Minneapolis vintage designer resale shop Mona Williams is kicking off the year by hosting an even bigger one—the Mona Williams Warehouse Sale. Over the past three years since opening Mona Williams, Richardson has collected thousands of pieces of designer apparel, shoes, and bags from luxury brands such as Armani, Dior, Gucci, Lanvin, and Saint Laurent.
As opposed to last fall’s sale, which was of the private collection of longtime couture collector Mary Wangsness, this sale comes from a variety of sources, sizes (from 00 to 3x), and eras, spanning vintage to modern. “During last fall’s sale, we had a lot of people who wanted to buy things and they didn’t fall into those sizes,” says Richardson, “so I decided I needed to find a space big enough to empty my warehouse into one space—all the consignment and all the vintage that I have after three years, which is a lot.”
Over the past three months, he’s been storing away some special items that have never appeared on the Mona Williams sales floor specially for the Warehouse Sale. “It will be a lot of Chanel, Louis Vuitton handbags, some Hermès scarves, and some other premium pieces I’ve kept to pepper into the sale,” he says. “The last time there were this many brands on one floor at one time Dayton’s had an Oval Room.”
Additionally, prices will be lower than they were in September, and even lower than they are normally priced at Mona Williams by about 40 percent. Says Richardson, “It’s the best sale I’ve ever had, in terms of the price.” And as a special bonus, fellow designer resale shop June will be joining in on the fun.
The sale will be hosted at the former Gap space in IDS Center (80 S. Eighth St., Minneapolis) and kicks off with a VIP preview party on February 25 from 6–8 p.m.; tickets are $20 and available via monawilliams.com. Proceeds will benefit either the Minneapolis Institute of Art or the Hennepin Theatre Trust, with ticket purchasers choosing the charity they wish to support. The sale is free from February 27 to March 4, and will be open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on February 26, February 27, and February 29 through March 4, and by appointment on February 28. Mona Williams will be closed during the duration of the sale.
