"RECORDS + VINTAGE + ANTIQUES" reads the sign outside - but the new Angell Street store What Cheer? is Aladdin's cave, a collection of curiosities housed in a magical atmosphere.
Recently moved from Wayland Square to 180 Angell St., What Cheer? is a hidden treasure trove perched quietly above the hustle and bustle of Thayer. The walls display a delightful mix of oddities, including a book of drink mixology and palm reading from the 1960s, a row of antique sewing kits, a drawer of vintage pinups and a stack of travel brochures.
Love of collecting led owners Jennifer and Chris Daltry to open What Cheer? at its first home on Wayland Square in 1998. Their treasures come from all over - sometimes brought in by visitors looking to sell, sometimes found at yard and estate sales.
Some customers simply like history and peruse the shelves, leafing through a tome about Ireland or antique cookbooks, said Sarah Clover, who has been working at the shop for two years.
Others come for inspiration. Once, a Rhode Island School of Design summer student created a textile design and dress inspired by an old Playboy cover found at the shop, she said. Hidden in a far corner is a collection of vintage fabrics, a draw for textile producers looking to reproduce fun patterns from the '60s and '70s.
"We have people who come in and collect Brown University postcards," Clover said. She loves the museum feel - working at What Cheer? feels like "mini-curating," she said - and chatting with visitors about Providence and music.
The record collection is the heart of the store and one of its most popular attractions, spanning from Joan Baez to Hank Williams Jr. to The Who. Listening to music all day is one of Clover's favorite parts of the job, she said.
What Cheer? is open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
