For Megan and Carrie Crawford, curating their vintage shop means way more than just finding old furniture.
“There’s a lot of love that goes into it,” Megan said, standing behind the counter of Wild Wanderer, the mother-daughter duo’s cozy antique shop in Columbia Falls. “It’s kind of preserving someone’s history and story.”
Megan and her mother Carrie have been vintage vendors in the Flathead Valley since 2015, an 8-year journey that has included numerous trips to estate sales and auctions, and hundreds of hours of online vintage shopping.
Now, the Crawfords are the proud co-owners of their own bespoke antique shop, which is intricately adorned with decorative lights, vintage furniture and knickknacks, including books, typewriters, cameras and dishes, as well as an array of local artisanal products.
“As far as the style of the shop, it’s kind of inspired by Forest Service cabins. Campy, outdoorsy, granola,” Megan said.
Carrie explained that much of her work involves buying items from multi-generational Montana families who are cleaning out their homes, a process that can yield mementos rich in meaning and history.
“We can kind of go in and save it, give it a second chance,” Megan added, emphasizing that customers can “get the story” with items they buy.
Wild Wanderer is open from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, and is located at 3710 Columbia Falls Stage Road in Columbia Falls.