Commonwealth Vintage in Lewisburg: cool town, cool clothes

by Julian Levine
Photos by Mary Baldwin

Commonwealth Vintage sits on Washington Street in the center of the Lewisburg historic district, a neighborhood where the old commerce of Appalachia and the new economy of small towns has combined, merged, and moved in tandem, if not always in lockstep, for actual generations. 

The owners, Tiffany Browning and Keith Goldsmith man the store on a bustling Friday while a steady stream of customers--families taking a break from the rigors of camping, locals, and folks visiting from out-of-town--peruse the shop, pausing every few seconds to handle a piece of clothing with excitement, humor, or outright reverence. As we talk, the frequent rhythm of people stopping in to say hi or purchase a piece weaves in and out of the conversation.

Tiffany Browning & Keith Goldsmith, owners of Commonwealth Vintage.

Before coming to the Greenbrier Valley in 2019, they lived in Richmond, Virginia where Tiffany managed a hair salon and they collaborated on a vintage shop. I ask them about how they decided to open Commonwealth Vintage in Lewisburg. Tiffany starts, “we never thought too much about moving our shop here and opening. It almost presented itself to us where we knew we wanted to be out here; we bought some land and had seen this spot for rent for a while. And we thought, ‘that’s great, we need storage and a quiet place to work.” 

They weren’t sure if a vintage shop would be of interest to the community and the folks who visit the area, but they realized quickly that they wanted not to just spend time in Lewisburg, but to be a part of the town and the community. Tiffany laughs, “we had seen the space and made a joke about it: ‘oh wouldn’t that be a great spot for a vintage shop’ and then six months later we’re signing a lease.”

They started by alternating weekends in Greenbrier County, driving the three hours from Richmond and curating the shop. Over the past year, that ratio has flipped and they now spend the majority of time in West Virginia, returning to Richmond every other weekend. 

Are there style similarities between what the community is interested in in a city like Richmond versus in the Greenbrier Valley? “People like utilitarian clothing,” like old work apparel Keith says, “they’d rather spend a little more money on a really nice piece that is going to last for a long time. That’s the common link.” A notable difference between Richmond and GBV jumps out, “the best prices are here,” Tiffany says, laughing, as she describes how they route everything through Commonwealth Vintage in Lewisburg before deciding what to showcase in Richmond. “It would be worth it for someone in Richmond to drive out here to come shop” she says. 

As we talk, a couple who recently moved to White Sulphur Springs stops in and introduces themselves. They chat about living in Virginia and Maryland versus West Virginia, vintage clothes--his collection of vintage sports t-shirts and the shirt he’s wearing, black and Tabasco-themed, purchased at a local thrift store--for a few minutes before checking out. 

What drew them to vintage clothes, and the vintage business? For one thing, the sustainability of keeping pieces of clothing in circulation and the art of helping folks develop their own style and comfort, something with even more gravity as so many readjust their wardrobe--or, depending on the day, armor--to meet the day after a disrupted 18 months. Beyond that, Keith notes, is shining a light on the American traditions of tradework and quality that so much vintage clothing encapsulates. Thinking about the change in manufacturing and quality that separates vintage clothes from “fast fashion,” Keith notes “I think it’s a shame that you have all these things that people built in this country with their bare hands that are still here to this day because they’ve held up over time…” he pauses, “it’s important to retain that clothing and continue to use it, even if you need to repair it.” 

Originally from Maryland, Keith’s grandmother’s family has roots in Taylor County. He notes that he’s always had a strong connection to the state, first studying at WVU and then working as a teacher in the public schools in Mason County. Thinking about the economics of West Virginia he says, “I’m just a huge advocate of not only this town but the state, I’m the biggest cheerleader...I call this Best Virgina. The state’s always had a soft spot in my heart. West Virginia has had this stigma but the people here were always so great to me….I wanted to be part of the state’s turnaround.” 

He goes on, “I do understand why [Lewisburg] flies under the radar but I don’t quite understand it to the extent that it does.” We talk about how other small towns in the valley have their own charm and soul as well. They both smile as Keith says “I’m hoping that Ronceverte becomes this haven for people in their twenties, thirties, and forties and for small businesses.” 

They bat a story back and forth: a few weeks earlier some friends stopped in to visit as a halfway point between Richmond and Louisville. Tiffany describes their visit, “I loved it, my friend had seen the area on my social media, but she got here and said ‘okay Tiffany, I was expecting Lewisburg to be cute, but I didn’t expect it to be this cute!’ They were obsessed,” Tiffany says, “on the way back they stopped at the river trail…. I just want people to know what a cool place this is.”

As their workday winds down, we talk about living and working in small cities and the uniqueness of the Greenbrier Valley. On the one hand, deeply Appalachian with the economic joys and sorrow often woven into the landscape. On the other, a place of economic reinvention with small cities and merchants, Tiffany and Keith included, navigating carefully on the crest of a wave of renewed interest in the quality of life and community inherent in the Greenbrier Valley and other rural areas nationwide. 

A few minutes later, on cue, a couple walks through the shop door excitedly. “We’re doing a tour of West Virginia on our honeymoon!” A colleague of Tiffany’s from a Richmond hair salon had done the bride’s hair for their wedding and counseled them to check out Lewisburg, so they added the area to their itinerary. They chat with Tiffany about where to get a cocktail after dinner, thanking Tiffany as they leave, “it’s great to get advice from a local.” 

Commonwealth Vintage is always open Fridays and Saturdays and they’re happy to do appointments. What else should people know about the shop? Tiffany answers, “how much we’ve enjoyed the community of Lewisburg and how supportive it’s been….people get it here, they have a good eye, and we’re happy to bring Lewisburg what we think is cool clothing. A cool town needs cool clothes!”