A Visit to The Rag Refinery | Ohio City

It's really lovely to visit local vintage shops, but after a while of frequenting the same overstuffed places where new stock is a rarity, I kept wishing a new shop would spring up. A place well curated with modern sensibilities. Lucky for me, Ohio City's Leigh Ring recently opened a gem of a vintage boutique- The Rag Refinery.

The Rag Refinery also doubles as the Pink Eye Gallery, with the shop walls covered in fresh art installations every month and parties on the first Saturday. I was really surprised at how affordable and desirable every single item was, and am already thinking about when I can visit again.

Next door you will find the gourmet Chili joint, Palookaville, where apparently the chili is to die for. I didn't get a chance to stop inside, but next time I visit, I'll be sure to step inside for a bite.

Leigh, owner of The Rag Refinery, is a really charming girl who I loved talking to about design and vintage shop keeping. Who knows, maybe in the near future Canton will find a new vintage shop springing up downtown? :)

Comments

[Tammy]

ooooo I bet you found lots of goodies there! I wish something like that would open up by me...

[malia]

saweet!!
-m

[Lauren]

We had an amazing vintage shop in my hometown, but the owner, who admittedly was one of the meanest people to ever exist, died and didn't leave her shop to anyone. Now it just sits with all of the amazing inventory in the windows, but no one can buy them. I'm excited to move and find some new places to treasure hunt!

Lauren @ See Parrot

[Maren]

Are you saying that you might have aspirations to open a shop?? That would be awesome!

Also, I am loving your cute headscarf. I can never get that effect. What size/shape of scarf is that one?

[Jennifer]

That place looks amazing. I want to go to there.

[liz]

nice! thanks for sharing....looks like i'll be making a day trip soon :) any children's items?

oh, and yes please, we need a fabulous vintage retail shop in our little downtown.

[Mandi]

Liz! Yes, do you know Curtis Miller? We've been talking about collaborating on a strip of area close to the Auricle. A tobacco nest, an espresso bar, and a vintage shop. Who knows? But I really want to do it! Also, The Rag Refinery doesn't have any children's clothes, and I haven't seen many shops that do, besides the Medina Antique Mall and sometimes vendors at the Canton Antique Expo, which is coming up soon!

[elsie]

BEAUTIFUL! I love the walls and you look so cute in these photos. XX

[Mirka]

Oh, I wish we had a shop like this in my city, too! I'd definitelly be a regular customer :)

[allie]

I'm so glad you posted this!! Yes, I can personally vouch for the chili...it's delicious & there are gluten free options!! The Rag Refinery is just lovely. A friend of mine was telling me I had to go there & one lunch we just happened to crave chili, so...we got to stop in the wonderful vintage shop as well! So perfect. :)

[Suz]

Can I just say I spent hours looking through your blog at your style and I about died when I read the comment from your friend "granny but, NOT so granny look".. Recently I have been going through a ID crisis and I am gravitating to all things "granny" and I love it.. My friends chastise me for it because I used to be all about the name brands but, now it’s more about how I feel.. I'm new to blogging but, yours really gave me a pat on the back like "its ok! you buy what you want"!!
Thanks Suz!
http://destinationsuz.blogspot.com/

[Victoria / Justice Pirate]

Ooo It looks very lovely!!!

[celia]

Wow I'm so jealous that store looks fabulous. I'm afraid vintage stores are pretty sad-looking around here, such a pity.

[steffy]

omg it looks so pretty in there. i saw a handful of polka dots on the rack so im sold :)

Steffys Pros and Cons

[brittany]

Oh I love it! I used to live in Ohio City and that shop opened up since I left :( I am eventually hoping to move back to Ohio City and open up my own shop!

I love that you feature Cleveland so much!

brittany

prettylittlevintage

[Violet Short]

These are such charming pictures! Love your blog. :)

[Leigh Ring (The Rag Refinery)]

Thank you Amanda! I'm so glad you enjoyed your visit. You really captured the shop beautifully!
❤

[Tammy]

I just wanted to tell you that I loved this post so much that I looked up and found a vintage clothing shop right near me! And I thought there wasn't anything around me....I ended up walking out of the store today with 6 dresses..thanks for the inspiration!

[emily keen]

That place looks great!! So spacious and pretty. I love walking into vintage stores that aren't cramped and crazy. There are some amazing ones in Chapel Hill NC that I try to visit once a year. My area in VA has none:( But I always find great vintage in thrift stores, so there's that I guess!

[becky]

ahhhh so jealous! :) my pal just moved across town from little italy to ohio city and this is the one place I wanted to go to when I visited home last weekend.... but didn't :(

next time I guess. It looks oh so very lovely

[Bonnie]

details please on the cute white dress you have on in some of these photos! you look beautiful.

[Mandi]

haha Bonnie! I had planned on doing an outfit post later that day at the beach, but it started raining. I will do one soon, though, to be sure! It's a sort of romper/shortie dress thing that I don't wear in public unless I'm in a beach type of environment.

[Jen]

I stumbled across your blog from modcloth! I'm thrilled to see another Ohioan, and one so close at that! Is there any way you could tell me where these shops are? I'm in New Philadelphia (south of Canton) and I've used up all our thrift stores.