Chicken Alley turns into a secondhand wonderland

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This vintage dress will be featured at the Chicken Alley fashion show. —Courtesy Chicken Alley Thrift Shop

Martha’s Vineyard Community Services’ (MVCS) Chicken Alley thrift shop will host its annual Fashion, Art, and Collectibles Weekend Sale on August 10 and 12 in Tisbury, according to a press release from MVCS.

On Friday from 5 to 8 pm, Chicken Alley will transform from odds and ends to fashion trends for the sixth annual Fashion Sale. A special collection of clothes, shoes, and accessories that have been saved all year, including vintage, designer, and one-of-a-kind pieces, will be available for purchase.

The 18th annual Chicken Alley Art and Collectibles Sale will be held on Sunday from 1 to 5 pm.

Fine art, new and old; highly collectible objects d’art; and many other unique items will be featured, according to the release.

The Chicken Alley Art Show started in 2001 and was created by the late Olga Hirshhorn, a philanthropist and avid collector of art.

The Fashion Sale was started in 2012 by Noava Knight, former thrift shop manager and local artisan. The show features haute couture for all ages, with designers from Prada to Vineyard artists, at discounted prices.

Jessica Tartell, manager of Chicken Alley, said the weekend sale is a great way to bring people items that they would not normally have access to. “We will have local clothing designers alongside designers like Armani,” Tartell said. “It’s a really phenomenal event. People look forward to it all year round. There are people getting in line at 7 am, and the sale starts at 1 pm.”

Tartell said she enjoys collecting different fashion and art items throughout the year, and stashing them away for the big sale. “We collect these items throughout the year, and then they go on sale for very reasonable prices,” Tartell said.

One of the greatest things about the weekend sale, according to Tartell, is being able to share the work of Island artists and artisans with the community. “Steve Mills, Ray Ellis, Allison Shaw, all these great talents will be features of the sale,” she said.

Tartell also said she has collected many unique items from around the world. “There are lots of interesting people on Martha’s Vineyard who like to donate lots of different items,” she said.

Tartell said the event would not be possible without the dedicated staff and volunteers of Chicken Alley.

All proceeds from these events benefit MVCS, which provides much-needed year‐round programs, services, and support Island‐wide.