By Elizabeth Miller
Moseying inside Old Colorado Vintage at 1020 Main Avenue in downtown Durango is like stepping back into the bygone days of the Old West. Co-owners Tom Dragt and his wife, Carrie, have pieced together the store through antique pieces found here and there.
When Hogan’s Store, which specialized in men’s apparel, closed, the Dragts scooped up as many items as possible, and Old Colorado Vintage was born. They’ve since worked to preserve and share pieces of America’s past while creating connections with the downtown Durango community. The business is integral to events like Durango’s midwinter festival, Snowdown, and the Durango Cowboy Gathering, keeping the West’s history alive by providing costumes and entertainment with the train.
Over the years, owning a vintage clothing business has proved advantageous for Dragt, with various movie productions filming in locations throughout the Southwest. When a film crew hunted for costumes and props for a shoot, Dragt provided the vintage pieces and showed up to the set decked head-to-toe in 1920s period clothing to audition as an extra. Since then, Dragt has appeared in several films, including The Great Alaskan Race and Hostile Territory, styling his characters with clothing, hats, and accessories from Old Colorado Vintage.
Dragt has expanded his acting chops to include more wardrobe roles, using pieces from the store for clothing actors in all types of films shot around the Southwest. Dragt has also worked closely with photographer David Yarrow for the past three years, modeling for Yarrow in vintage outfits and providing the wardrobe for themed shoots.
A few of his favorite decorative items in the store include a hand-painted cowboy on a bucking horse that came from Nate Stein’s shop in the 1930s from Fiesta Days, a WWI “God Bless America” banner from Raton, New Mexico, and 1930s posters from Miller Western Wear in Denver. Showcasing items from all eras of Western history, including vintage work wear, textiles, and industrial artifacts, Old Colorado Vintage offers a little piece of history for everyone to discover.
“It’s a treasure hunt,” Dragt says.
