Editor’s note: This the second part in a series about shops in downtown Johnson City. Check out previous and future editions of the East Tennessean for more articles on downtown businesses.Ask anyone where to find the latest trends in authentic vintage clothing, and you’ll only hear one name: Bettye Jane’s.

The store’s background story is simple: boy meets vintage style, boy falls in love with vintage style, boy opens his own vintage venue.

Tim Smith, owner and operator of Bettye Jane’s, fell in love with the vintage vibe and decided to bring an array of clothing options to the Johnson City area that no other clothing stores had offered before.

Snuggled serenely in Johnson City’s downtown area, Bettye Jane’s toots a horn that no other fashion providers in the area can toot. They’re the city’s single source for authentic vintage styles, and with nearly five years under their belt, they’ve made a name for themselves that has produced some serious staying power.

Bettye Jane’s has got the vintage spectrum covered from fedora to saddle shoes, but that’s not all they’re known for, “We’ve got some select indie designer styles,” explained Smith. Students can come in and find clothing items that they would normally only be able to find online, like tees by independent clothing company Kill Brand. However, Bettye Jane’s doesn’t stop at vintage and independent clothing brands. In recent years, the store has added screen-printing to its list of services, “We started screen-printing shirts about three and a half years ago. We do shirts for fraternities, churches and some other organizations in the city,” Smith stated.

Customers can get their own custom designs printed on T-shirts, hoodies, or tote bags or they can choose a graphic design.

Alissa Maston, a Bettye Jane’s employee, keeps an eye out on what frequent Bettye Jane’s shoppers are looking for this season, “People seem to be looking for ’80s styles and some of the ’70s stuff. We’re seeing saddle shoes, oxfords, fedoras and trench coats,” Maston said. “This season people are probably looking for boots and chunky sweaters for the fall.”

The feeling one gets when walking into the vermillion-walled vintage haven is one that can be described as the Bettye Jane’s experience – there’s nothing else like it, “It’s an exciting thing. You never know what you’ll find,” explained Maston.

Bettye Jane’s offers style addicts a shopping experience as unique as its array of vintage styles.

For inquiries about screenprinting or other questions, check out their Web site at bettyejanes.com or visit the store’s MySpace page at myspace.com/bettyejanes.

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