Trips
to the cineplex and the mailbox are triggering warm and fuzzy feelings
in Julie Owens these days, reminding her of moments she had forgotten
about.
"I felt wicked nostalgic for my old Mickey Mouse phone when I saw the hamburger phone in the movie 'Juno,' " said Owens, 35, a public-transit contract administrator from Orland Park, Ill.
It's no surprise to trend forecasters that the '60s, '70s and '80s
are in vogue with people between the ages of 18 and 35, some of whom
weren't even born when the objects of their affection first bloomed.
Stores such as Urban Outfitters,
for example, find plenty of takers for retro chic. The Intelligence
Group, a New York research and consulting firm whose clients include Microsoft, Nike
and MTV, calls this "accelerated nostalgia." The idea is this: In an
age when life and technology change at a dizzying pace, young people
find it "increasingly rare to come upon something with such history,"
said Melissa Lavigne, IG's marketing director.
So how big is retro?
It's so big that you don't have to turn to eBay
or thrift shops to find some of your old favorites. Many companies are
making plenty of money as they satisfy America's craving for nostalgia.
"About eight years ago, we realized that we don't really sell
candy anymore. What we're really selling are memories," said Jon
Prince, the third-generation family leader of the McKeesport Candy Co.,
known to most people these days as candyfavorites.com.
The walk down memory lane is getting a little more crowded. Even
the aisles of discount stores have occasional retro reminders intended
to entice Baby Boomers and Gens X and Y.
Here are a few more interesting nuggets from the bandwagon.
Sweet life
Prince's grandfather launched McKeesport in 1927. Anyone born from the late '40s onward will find something to jog their sweet tooth in their Retro Packs (from $12.38 to $79.95). Pixy Stix, candy necklaces, Boston Baked Beans, Necco wafers, wax lips — it's all here from the veteran candy wholesaler (candyfavorites.com or 888-525-7577).
Dialing the past
Most Millennials are too young to have actually lived in a home that used phones with the delayed gratification of rotary dials. That doesn't mean they don't like the look, though. At urbanoutfitters.com, the Web-only Back Room Wall Phone ($50) looks like the real thing from decades past, but its push-button dialing, redial, flash and other features let you know you have stepped into a time warp.
Spinning the present
If you want the best of
both worlds with your music collection, you could spend $100 to $400 on
a new USB turntable that will turn your Duran Duran or Foghat albums
into MP3 files. Or, primarily for iTunes users, you could buy Griffin's
iMic ($39.99 at stores like Circuit City or Staples, or at griffin
technology.com). It works with Apple and Windows XP and links up your
existing turntable and your computer. It definitely takes practice and
patience, but I found that the iMic's Final Vinyl application's filters
— and Griffin's friendly tech-support staff — make the learning curve
bearable.
Got a sweet tooth?
Wax candy lips and Boston Baked Beans were popular treats in the '80s. You can find just about any candy from back in the day to take care of your sweet tooth.
Old school jams
Got a bunch of vinyl you don't know what to do with? The iMic, below, can help transfer those old LPs to MP3 files to bring those tunes back to life. Then, you can play them on your iPod Boombox.
Click Here to view the original post.
Comments