Kissing Whiskey Vintage: Craft Lake City Vintage Vendor

After pioneering the virtual festival format for the 2020 DIY Festival, Craft Lake City is making their exciting return to the Utah State Fairpark for the 13th Annual DIY Festival Presented By Harmons. The 2021 Festival features the largest offering yet of artisans, craft foodies, performers and much more. Read about some of the fantastic Utah DIY-ers participating at this year’s festival in the following pages, and head to craftlakecity.com for more information on the 13th Annual DIY Festival.

Kissing Whiskey Vintage is nothing if not a labor of love. Kristen Wolfe, the owner of the shop, has had a passion for reused goods practically their whole life. Wolfe attributes their career aspirations to their two “frugal” grandmothers who refused to buy anything at full price, causing Wolfe to spend a hefty amount of time “combing yard sales, thrift bins and highlighting newspaper ads,” they say.

As time went on, Wolfe got a full-time job and transformed their love for vintage into a “side hustle,” but soon it became more than that. They say, “I decided Kissing Whiskey Vintage wouldn’t be a side hustle … I was going to really dedicate myself to making it happen.” Over the last year, Wolfe has created a noteworthy social media presence for themselves featuring their carefully curated portfolio of unique glassware and “maximalist” clothing. The one caveat that applies to all of Wolfe’s findings is one of age: “If it’s 1999 or older, it’s vintage. My saying is, ‘If it can legally buy a drink, it’s old enough’,” they say. But beyond that, anything that’s shiny, unique and has an artistic flair goes.

Currently, Kissing Whiskey Vintage is selling a variety of treasures through social media and at pop-up markets across the Salt Lake area. Wolfe plans to open a physical Kissing Whiskey Vintage shop in Downtown SLC in the fall of this year. Follow Kissing Whiskey on Instagram @kissingwhiskeyvintage. –Theadora Soter