Bridge Island Arts and Vintage is more than just a store, it’s a gathering place for the makers of the Vancouver-Portland Metro Area. Small side rooms act as micro-galleries, showcasing the work of local artisans while fostering a space where skills are shared and community connections grow.
Shelley Caldwell opened the shop with a simple dream of embroidering, but what she’s built is something far greater: a thriving hub where small business owners, artists, and hobbyists come together to create, collaborate and support one another.
A Gathering Space for Camas’ Local Artisans
Running a vintage shop is practically in the Caldwell DNA. When Shelley’s brother, Bryce Caldwell, moved to town, he brought everything leftover from their mom’s antique shop in Indiana. What started as a dream to embroider in the midst of parenting transformed into something new, Bryce by her side. And it could’ve stopped there as a recreation of their antique shop from back home.
But Shelley’s career in nonprofit work was focused on community-building and skill-sharing, which seeped its way into the shaping and direction of the shop. Rather than simply selling vintage wares, Bridge Island Arts and Vintage became a gathering place for local artists and craftspeople. “I don’t know how to not do community outreach,” Shelley explains, and it’s evident in the space the Caldwells cultivated for people to connect, collaborate, and learn from one another.
During our interview, she warmly welcomed a passerby who knocked on the door even when the shop was closed. She took the time to assist in finding a large cross, even reaching out to her expert theologian to help track it down. That dedication to service and connection is the foundation of the store’s success. The same spirit led to the creation of the mending and sewing circles.
Sewing and Mending Circles: Reviving Lost Skills and Sustainable Practices
The mending circle at Bridge Island Arts and Vintage was born out of a simple but essential need: teaching people how to repair their own clothing. Whether sewing on a button, patching a hole or tackling a more complex project, anyone can join in, no supplies or experience necessary. Shelley provides materials, and the community shares their guidance, demystifying these once everyday skills. The welcoming environment invites participants to learn while enjoying the bond of shared creative spaces.
While the sewing circle provides an opportunity for empowerment through hands-on learning, it also serves a greater purpose: sustainability. “It is much easier and kinder to fix something that already exists,” Shelley notes. In a world driven by fast fashion and disposability, mending and repurposing is a powerful statement against waste.
Beyond the practical, the sewing circles revitalize the art of communal crafting. “With mending and with sewing—sitting around and working on projects with other people—it’s the sense of community that makes it a special place to be,” she shares. Whether someone comes in with a beloved shirt in need of saving, a family heirloom ready for more than a dust-off, or to learn new skills, the experience is about more than the task at hand, it’s about connection.
Fostering Autonomy Through Camas Community
The community outreach didn’t start with Darn It Y’all, just like the store’s networking didn’t stop at collaborating with local small businesses. And just like the darning circle is free for everyone to come and learn, the vintage shop doesn’t make every event about making money. They host clothing swaps where locals bring in clothing to donate and leave with other people’s clothing, free of charge.
The jewelry swap is much the same. Every April, they announce in the town’s paper for people to bring in their jewelry. And once the Caldwells and their team go through everything, they invite everyone to take whatever they want. Once again, free of charge.
Building Community, Stitch by Stitch, in Clark County and Beyond
Bridge Island Arts and Vintage is more than a store; it’s where ideas flourish, partnerships form and small businesses thrive. The Caldwells have created a space where creativity is nurtured, and people from all walks of life can come together and share their knowledge and passion.
“There’s five different religious practices in here. There’s veterans, there’s people from all kinds of places. And we all have different aesthetics and experiences. And so it’s the same—sewing is the same thing,” Shelley explains. The shop’s built on inclusivity, creating an atmosphere where everyone can feel at home, whether they’re seasoned artists, aspiring makers, or window shoppers.
With its unique blend of vintage finds, artistic displays, skill-building workshops, and community-centered action, Bridge Island Arts and Vintage embodies the spirit of Camas and the Portland-Vancouver metro area. A shop where small businesses thrive, creativity is celebrated, and people come together to support and uplift each other. And isn’t that something we could all use a little more? Whether you visit to learn, to create, or simply to be part of something bigger, Bridge Island Arts and Vintage is more than a store, it is a communal hub.
