Flashback

Austin, United States

3.3

Closed now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 512-445-6906
Website:
www.austinvintageclothing.com
Address:
1906 S 1st St, Austin, TX, 78704
78704 (South Austin), So-Fi (S. 1st St. District), Bouldin Creek
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.4 mi#10 North Bound
0.4 mi#10 South Bound
1 miCongress and Riverside
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes

Today

Today 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (Austin) 01:44 Sunday, 22 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Tuesday 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Wednesday 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Thursday 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Friday 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Description

Specialties

We have a wide selection of vintage accessories and dresses; and stock inventory primarily from the 1920’s to the 1970’s. Our goal is to make your shopping experience fun, easy, and exciting; with friendly staff and fair prices. Our customers enjoy ‘wishlist’ shopping– let us know what you are looking for and we will do our best to find it and contact you first about it. We also offer stylist services, small alterations and repairs, and assistance in locating hard to find items.

History

Established in 1982.

Founded in 1982 by Marsha Laine, who now mentors new owner (since Aug 2008) Brandi Boyd, Flashback has outfitted a long list of local and larger celebrities as well as fashion forward Austinites in fabulous vintage clothing since 1982. Over the years our clothing has been featured in Guess! ads, on stars such as Lenny Kravitz, and in numerous television and stage productions. And our fun and eclectic store has also been featured… in Texas monthly, Vogue, and most recently a Hays Carll music video. Flashback is not only one of Austin’s longest standing vintage boutiques, but an Austin icon that contributes to the quirky kitschy city we love.

Meet the Business Owner

Brandi B.

Business Owner

My love of fashion and knowledge of vintage begin from childhood when I would drown myself in my elementary school library’s collection of historical costuming books and old Vogue magazines; and was spurred on by countless trips to estate sales, auctions, flea markets and garage sales with my grandmothers, both of whom had an impeccable eye for beautiful things. My first sewing machine, a 40’s hand-​me-​down from my great grandmother when I was 12, was not employed at doll clothes making, but circle skirts and practice darts, and bad attempts at 30’s inspired bias-​cut gowns. My current machine sees similar service. I have been collecting, wearing, and selling vintage items since about age 12; becoming owner of Flashback has been a wonderful fulfillment of a lifelong goal. I come to Flashback with many years experience in retail and small business and I truly enjoy helping fabulous items find a new life and home, and helping customers find new treasures at reasonable prices.

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20 reviews of Flashback

No registration required
Place rating: 3
Waco, TX
Cool stuff. small area, hard to get around woth stroller, well orginized. Parking not good. Prices really high, staff nice. Did not buy any thing. Fun to go down memory lane.
Place rating: 1
San Antonio, TX
I have been attempting to refrain from reviewing any place until I’ve visited at least a few times. Unfortunately, my experience here was just atrocious I highly doubt I’ll ever be back. My family & I made a day trip to Austin and wanted to visit vintage & thrift stores we hadn’t been to yet and Flashback made the cut. I will say this: the finds here are great. I did enjoy that areas were broken down to the era that some of the styles belonged to and I suppose for someone who is looking for something specific, then this place would be a go-​to. The employee I came across however (the only one I saw), is just sour-​faced and rude. We were in there for quite awhile and while waiting on my babygirl to try some things on, I had to use the restroom. When one person in our group went, I followed right behind. I got a few hard knocks at the door as I was trying to finish up. When I came out, I got this awful stare back at me as if to say, «How effin dare you?» The stare followed me all the way to the next room over. So perhaps it might have been presumptuous of me to think that if you didn’t want any of your customers to use the restroom, you would have just said there wasn’t one or it’s not for anyone else’s use. But I also don’t recall just running straight into your store out of nowhere and using it either. I came in with the full intent of spending money. It’s sad since the items here really are nice and aren’t super expensive; however, if I have to deal with that look & attitude again, forget it.
Place rating: 5
Austin, TX
Awesome selection of funky t-​shirts, vests, dresses from all eras. Great accessories for any decade party or to pair with your current wardrobe. Found a vintage Betsey Johnson sweater from the 80s that I can’t wait to throw on with boots this winter. Reasonable prices & the owner Marsha was very accommodating!
Place rating: 2
Austin, TX
As a local Austinite who has an eye for vintage I’d say this spot has some sweet vintage finds. They have great timeless pieces from 40s-​50s. It’s become harder and harder for me to find great 40s-​50s vintage due to a lot of the local vintage stores getting into this gypsy festival boho crap.
With that said I decided to pop in yesterday to check out some dresses and was ready to spend some major cash if I found the right piece. I haven’t been in the shop for at least a couple of months. When I walked in the women behind the counter walked up to me and asked to hold my purse behind the counter. I was confused since my purse was a small coach purse no bigger than 9in wide. She then pointed to the sign on the door that said” backpacks must be checked”. I mentioned that I did see the sign but I’ve never had to check my small purse. The whole situation was awkward. I checked my purse anyway, taking my phone and wallet out.
As I was shopping I picked a couple of dresses out and asked to start a dressing room. As I handed the woman my picks she makes a comment «isn’t this one cool, but did you see the price?» I don’t know why she thought she should ask if I looked at the price or not. Maybe she didn’t think I’d pay that much? Maybe she thought it was too expensive her self? Either way it didn’t seem very courteous and definitely doesn’t entice me to buy anything in your store.
Flashback isn’t going to get much business with that kind of customer service. Maybe making a small investment on cameras would help. These cost less than scaring away your customers:
Place rating: 1
Austin, TX
Can’t fathom why this place has four stars. Have lived in Austin for almost a decade and was excited to finally visit late last year.
An older woman seemed to be the only one there on a Sunday and she didn’t handle what I know to be a problem for a lot of businesses very well.
I’ve worked in retail for many years and am familiar with theft issues and policies with having to check in customers’ bags etc. However, moments after walking in, this woman took my bag right out my hand without asking and flat out said ”I’m going to take this, cause, that would make me feel a lot better.”
It was such a swift action that I barely had a chance to react in the moment, but my friend and I were both fairly offended by her presumption, did not make a purchase, and both left with a bad taste in our mouths.
I hope she uses a more respectful approach e.g. ‘Do you mind if I put this behind the counter?’ henceforth. Needless to say, we won’t be returning.
Place rating: 1
Kyle, TX
After looking up the different stores for vintage clothing I decided on going to Flashbacks, As soon as I walked in I saw a few dresses that I liked, we were looking for a specific dress, my daughter is going to use it for the themed fashion show in a pageant. I asked the employee if she had anything similar to a picture I had and she started picking out dresses, none of which were even close to what I was looking for, I received a call, while I was talking on my phone I heard the lady tell my daughter to try on a few dresses, she also told her, look in the dressing rooms, I also have dresses in there. My daughter went into one of the dressing rooms and what do you know, inside it was a dress that was about 90% alike to what we were looking for. I told her to try it on, when she walked out to have me zip it up the Lady almost yelled,” I DID NOT GIVE YOU THAT DRESS TO TRY ON!!! TAKE IT OFF!” «That is a vintage $ 600.00 dress, it’s very delicate you must have taken that out of my storage.» WTF!!!
I WAS PISSED, how dare she say we took it out of her storage, my daughter did what she suggested, she looked in the dressing rooms and that is where it was. That lady is RUDE and has no idea how much I can afford, I totally felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty woman. If she was the only vintage store in town maybe she could get away with treating her customers like dirt, BUT LUCKLY she is not the only store in town.
Place rating: 4
College Station, TX
Overall, a decent vintage store. Although pricey, nothing is too ridiculously marked. Men’s section is adequate but left me wanting more.
Would definitely recommend for females aged 14 – 22.
Place rating: 4
Philadelphia, PA
This is a great place to shop while you wait for brunch next door. Their displays are sorted by era. They have everything from cowboy boots to lingerie. My friends and I came away with a bunch of necklaces that were under $ 20, and a couple of amazing dresses. The shop is a little cramped, but in comparison to most vintage shops it’s roomy. The owner was helpful, without being pushy, and gave some great tips, including that Austin is bag-​less. She was kind enough to provide a reusable bag.
Place rating: 1
Los Angeles, CA
I had a very similar experience to Poppy S!
The hubby and I took a day trip to Austin. We are from LA and I missed our vintage clothing options in SA and we heard there was a bit of a vintage scene in Austin. We spotted the store and I was so excited to check it out! I WANTED to like it… seemed like my kind of place.
Looking at the belts, I spotted a few gold stretchy belts. I have one already and use it to death. Pointing one out to my hubby, the lady at the counter (and owner I learned through conversation) makes a comment about how tiny they are, in a snarky attitude as if I will not fit it. I take the belt down — and place it around my waist. Ta da! It fits. I decide that $ 24 is too much to spend as the one I already own was $ 8. I hand it back to her and she places it around the mannequin and says «oh, but this one is large. I can just tell by putting it back.»… Mind you — I wear a 0 and have a 24″ waist!
I felt like she had made such snarky comments that I had to go, even if I had seen a few things. It may sound petty, but as someone who works in customer service, you want your customers to feel comfortable!
Place rating: 4
Mount Pleasant, SC
When I was visiting Austin, I had a solid day to go shopping and I made it a mission to try to hit as many vintage shops as possible. This my favorite out of the handful that I checked out. Even if I didn’t buy anything, I enjoyed just walking around and looking at what all they had.
But I actually did end up going home with something. It was a cute floral dress probably from the 90s and for me, I have a hard time calling that vintage, but maybe that’s just me. Unfortunately the liner was badly cut, more like butchered, as if someone just took some scissors while wearing the dress and cut a few inches off in the most jagged way possible. I probably should’ve brought it to the attention of the person working to see if they’d discount it. While it was still a cute dress and I liked it enough to still purchase it with thoughts of removing the liner completely, it was overpriced. I feel like it’d be something that I could easily get at a regular thrift store for more than half of what I paid. But I still like it and I did end up removing the liner completely and I’ve worn it a couple times since. Really a 3.5 since I think the clothes were slightly overpriced but nonetheless, a fun store to check out.
Place rating: 1
Austin, TX
Never before have I been so disrespected by a store employee, I actually would be willing to bet it was the owner, than I have at this establishment. Upon entering the store I quickly chose three dresses to try on knowing good and well that they were overpriced I decided that today was the day to splurge.
The woman walked past me and asked «Would you like me to start a fitting room for you?» She then proceeded to turn and look at me and realizing that I was pregnant promptly told me «Oh, never mind none of those will fit you, they all have a waist.» I calmly brushed off the rude statement and continued to look around the store. When I finally decided that I was ready to try on the clothing I went up to her and asked if I may please start a room only to be denied. WHAT KIND OF STORE WILL NOT LET SOMEONE TRY ON THEIR CLOTHES! «No» she said, «I am afraid you will break the zippers so I can’t let you try them on.» As I walked away frustrated she says «Do you know how much it costs to try replace a zipper? 15 dollars, thats not cheap!»
Not only did she deny me, but from her attitude it was obvious that she
1. Believed I had no knowledge about vintage clothing or sewing
2. Believed that I would force something to fit me when I knew it wouldn’t
3. Believed that I was dishonest enough of a person to not pay for the damage I caused to an item.
I have a passion for vintage fashion and am familiar with a majority of the vintage stores and shopping opportunities in town. Being treated in this manor from someone in retail is both offensive and appalling. I WILL NEVER RETURN TO THIS ESTABLISHMENT and urge others to think twice about visiting as well.
Place rating: 5
Austin, TX
I love this place! Looking for something a little special, vintage and pretty well priced? Head here immediately. They have a good selection and it’s a place you want to frequent often as you never know what they’ll have.
If you’re in to vintage this is a must go to. Much better prices then Amelia’s and they seem to be a little more under the radar.
Definitely stop by if you’re looking for a vintage dress :).
Place rating: 5
Austin, TX
I am so glad I came in today! The shop has a great selection and you will find yourself wandering back through all the rooms b/​c your eye will catch something new on each pass! A great selection of clothes, accessories, shoes (sometimes hard to find) and mens wear (also tough to find)!
Marsha was incredibly helpful and kind, steering me to a complete outfit that will look fab and didn’t break the bank! She is a wealth of information and really makes you feel welcomed, like you’re just hanging out at a friend’s house trying on clothes in the closet! They also have some really tremendous hats — so if you’re looking for cute vintage hats — this is the place.
All in all, a fun shop to check out — here you won’t just find the outfit you’re looking for, but also great styling advice tailored to the look you’re going for. :-)
Place rating: 4
Austin, TX
I’m sure it’s not an everyday occurrence that somebody shows up in your shop and says «Hi, apparently I’m getting married this evening, could you help me find a dress?»
I’d been with my then-​boyfriend for eight years and medical circumstances demanded we get married that week. It was a very roller-​coastery week for my emotions. Fortunately, the lovely folks at Flashback took good care of me and let me feel like an excited bride-​to-​be for the first time instead of a stressed, worried knot of tangly emotions.
The owner graciously devoted over an hour, maybe two hours, of her time bringing dresses for me to try on and helping me find just the right dress. And it WAS perfect. An absolutely gorgeous silk dress from the 1950s in cotton-​candy pink, probably the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen, clearly handmade with the original metal zipper and everything. (She even gave me a wedding discount! Thank you!)
This was back in 2011 and I’ve only been back a few times since, but they’re always super friendly and sweet. And every day when I drive home from work, I peek at the cute dresses on display outside. Maybe I’m due for a new Flashback dress.
The stuff here is hit-​or-​miss, but that’s purely a matter of taste and style, not the quality. I will warn that I did buy a dress here that broke and could not be salvaged by any seamstress when I tried it on at home — but they gave me no hassles about returning it. Be warned, there’s a LOT of clothing here. If you’re into checking out clothes, it will take you a while, even though the house is small.
Place rating: 5
Orange, CA
I came into Flashback on my hunt for vintage in Austin while my husband attended SXSW. It was the first true vintage shop I came into since arriving. Much of Austin’s «vintage» includes 80s and 90s, and I really have a hard time calling that «vintage».
The adorable house was home to rooms of beautiful vintage garments from the 1930s to the 1960s with a very small amount of newer items. They even had a decent mens selection as well, which I was very impressed with. They also offered up some wonderful hats and a small amount of jewelry.
The employee who was working that day was incredibly nice and made sure I had one of the vintage shopping maps for Austin.
The place is fairly well lit, with maybe one or two rooms being a little on the dim side.
There is a pretty good size range, but still leans toward the smaller side.
Prices were fair, leaning a bit on the internet side of things.
Will for sure return if I am in Austin again.
Place rating: 4
Austin, TX
Flashback is exactly what it’s named after. When I walked through the doors and saw the set up of the store and the inventory, I was thrilled. The store itself is in an old house, complete with a bathroom in the middle of the flow, as well as a kitchen. The way things are displayed, and where they are hung was just adorable to me. I spent a long time just browsing room after room.
What I like about Flashback is that it’s not one of those shops that claim to be vintage but that are really just over-​priced hipstery boutiques with a small selection. Flashback seemed to have everything from every generation, and it was all fairly priced. Add to all of that, a great sense in music and a friendly staff… Flashback is cute and fun.
Place rating: 4
East Austin, Austin, TX
I drive by Flashback all the time and finally stopped in after seeing a cute dress on display outside. I found so much cute stuff and left with a great new jumper which was reasonably priced and the women who work there are wonderful.
Place rating: 3
Austin, TX
Looking for a vintage dress to wear for a special occasion? This is def the place to go. But be warned, they do have a great selection that is unfortunately mixed with modern cloths that are being sold as «vintage» at the same prices. As far as deals go, they have a $ 5 rack in the front and a $ 25 room in the back. They are very spacious and it’s def. fun to look around but not my cup of tea.
Place rating: 4
Austin, TX
I stopped in here just out of curiosity and found some interesting vintage to look at. I scored with a couple of records and was amazed at all the rooms filled with reasonably priced clothes, shoes and other cool things.
The lady that was working there was super friendly and helpful but not in a pushy sales kind of way. I’ll be back because it changes all the time to see what other little jewels I can discover.
BTW there is more parking on the side and back.
Place rating: 5
Chico, CA
Visiting Austin, TX for the first time, I couldn’t help but stop by; the rack of charming dresses outside was irresistible. As soon as I walked in, I was a kid in a penny candy store. Everything I laid eyes on just blew me away. The owner has the most impeccable taste in vintage clothing, accessories, shoes, and furniture. This little boutique is amazing. As I’ve been on a tight budget, my intention was not to spend any money but ended up busting out the good ol’ credit card… The items I had were too unique and fairly-​priced to pass up. I can’t wait to move to Austin someday soon; I’ll become a regular here, for sure.