Discover Findings Flea: A Vintage Revival in the Heart of Ventura

September 8, 2025

By Lucy Oliveira

Photos by Lauren Purves

In the world of creative retail, transition and place are powerful storytellers. Just as Hotel San Buena reimagined the past through its grand architecture, Findings Flea breathes new life into historic walls, revitalizing Ventura’s cultural fabric with every carefully curated corner.

When Whitney Riles first envisioned Findings Market in 2017, she wasn’t sure Ventura was ready.

the architecture, the barn doors, the windows, the bones… they felt magnetic. It had time standing still

“I’d lived in Ventura for years,” she told me, “but at first I wasn’t sure if the town was ready for what I envisioned, until I tested the waters in Santa Barbara. I loved the community that was forming, and I wanted Ventura to have it too… eventually the timing just clicked and I went for it.”

That timing, and her quiet boldness, helped anchor the creative soul of downtown Ventura. As remote work shifted people’s lives and families sought more meaningful community, the city evolved into fertile ground for grassroots storefronts like hers.

Some places call to you, not just because of their architecture, but because of their silence. Whitney felt that pull the moment she stepped into the 1926 building that would become home to Findings Market’s vintage sibling, Findings Flea.

“The building had been vacant for ten+ years,” she said. “But the architecture, the barn doors, the windows, the bones… they felt magnetic. It had time standing still.”

The building’s story began as a Nash Sales Garage and later became Ventura Toys & Party and then Trueblood’s. One detail remains as a quiet tribute to its playful past: a small side door, once used as a children’s entrance.

More than a store, Findings Flea is a meeting point of style, sustainability, and soul. Whitney explained that she wanted to create a place where vintage curators could shape a distinct world of unique offerings within the 5,000-square-foot space.

“From the beginning of 2017, when Findings Market began, to opening the Flea in 2024, vintage really took off, especially across a new generation of apparel dealers,” she said. “It’s about expressing individuality, honoring time, and valuing the story sewn into every seam.”

What was once stagnant—a boarded-up building—is now a welcoming point and communal shop space for all to enjoy,

When you walk into Findings Flea, it’s not just about what’s for sale, it’s about where time and curiosity converge. Whitney lights up when someone says, “I haven’t been in this building in years.” The original windows, the horseshoe above the door, they’re small portals into a shared awakening.

That shared experience has rippled outward. Findings Market, and later the Findings Flea, helped spark a broader revival in downtown Ventura.

“What was once stagnant—a boarded-up building—is now a welcoming point and communal shop space for all to enjoy,” Whitney reflected. “So many blocks are being revived and coming to life – specialty shops, breweries, mixed use spaces, unique eateries, … it’s all coming alive.”

Whitney’s passion for place extends to the now pedestrian-only stretch of Main Street, which pulses with new energy, families strolling, dogs trotting, bikes weaving through, as well as the farmers market. But she’s quick to point out that this kind of revival requires more than just charm and hope; it needs commitment.

“I’m a huge supporter of keeping Main Street closed to cars,” she said. “The challenge is how long it’s all been in limbo. Businesses and the city can’t fully invest without a clear, lasting decision. You can’t build a permanent future on a temporary plan.”

There’s a reason vintage endures: it anchors us to a place in time. “People find one-of-a-kind pieces etched from history that no one else may ever own,” Whitney said. “The stories behind these pieces outlast trends. It goes beyond a mass-produced tee or big-box home décor—vintage expresses authenticity while giving new life to something old.”

“For me, one of the greatest joys of our brick-and-mortar shops is bringing empty spaces back to life,” she added. “Watching people rediscover a place… and not knowing who will uncover what next.”

Findings Flea is more than a market. It’s a gathering point where memory meets discovery, where spaces and objects are reborn, and where possibility quietly lingers in every corner.