Mother-daughter team open Nostalgia Vintage & Thrift Shop in East Meadow
April Senra, left in black top, and her daughter Lily Senra opened Nostalgia Vintage & Thrift Shop in East Meadow in March. Credit: Nostalgia Vintage & Thrift Shop
At Nostalgia Vintage & Thrift Shop, a new women’s boutique in East Meadow, secondhand treasures come with memories already woven in.
April Senra and her daughter, Lily, who opened the store in March, share their own rich history. Their deep love for fashion and keen interest in giving pre-owned clothes a fresh life lit the spark for their business.
"We had dreams about having a little boutique together," says April, 52, a married mom of two who graduated from Fashion Institute of Technology and worked two decades as a producer for lifestyle photo shoots. "This store is a perfect fit for us."
Lily’s interest in style began in Mom’s closet. "I steal so many of her clothes," she says. "We’re so similar, yet still different."
April tends toward classic styles and neutral tones. Lily, 20, leans to colorful and dramatic pieces from the ’70s and ’90s. "I love a big fringe moment," Lily says. "I like structured pieces. It’s fun to mix it up."
At East Meadow High School, Lily kick-started her entrepreneurial efforts. She began selling her clothes on the e-commerce platforms Depop and Poshmark.
"I got a following from that," she says. Next came Instagram. Last summer, the Senras started selling vintage and thrift finds at pop-ups around Nassau County.
Their brick-and-mortar store was the next big leap. They post new arrivals at the store on Instagram and Facebook. Merchandise at the shop runs the gamut — tops, sweaters, blazers, jeans, dress pants, shorts, skirts, shoes and accessories. Prices typically run $10 to $200.
"We go everywhere to find our merchandise — garage sales and estate sales," April says, adding that they bring an empty suitcase on trips to fill with finds for the store. "I just got back from a trip to Sedona, Arizona."
The mother-daughter duo likes the idea that their clothes are a mix of eras, textures and styles. They’re pieces for building bold, personal looks that make customers feel good.
"Our favorite moments are when someone picks something out, tries it on and it just works on them," Lily says. "You can see their confidence is just so uplifted by a piece of clothing."
That’s a feeling that’s always in style.
Nostalgia Vintage & Thrift Shop, 534 East Meadow Ave., East Meadow.
