Art House Boutique Brings Secondhand Style to Manatee Avenue

In a small shop on Manatee Avenue, Dayanara Garcia is giving old things a new chance to be loved.

Inside Art House Boutique, you’ll find a constantly changing selection of unique items, each chosen by hand. The inventory here ranges from vintage clothing and jewelry to home decor, art, books, records, and lots of little surprises that make you stop and take a second look. Some things are elegant, some are quirky, and many are the perfect balance of both – and that’s the whole point. 

Dayanara (Dee) studied design at Columbia College in Chicago and later worked for a fashion designer there. She has always been drawn to interiors, fashion, and creative spaces that feel layered and lived-in. 

When life brought her Bradenton, Dee found a new calling. Her introduction to the local thrift scene started at The Cat’s Meow Vintage Marketplace, where she quickly fell in love with the idea of curating her own inventory. She became a vendor there and later partnered with Carolyn at The Vintage Vine Market. When she was finally ready to venture out on her own, she found the perfect space: a 100-year-old building on Manatee Avenue that suits her vibe about as well as any building can. 

Dee says she loves finding the pieces that become “the icing on the cake” in a room or outfit. This might be the tiny bird statue placed on a shelf, a beautiful piece of stoneware, or the jacket you never knew you needed until it was right in front of you. 

She has a passion for the items themselves, and more specifically, the story behind them. “I love knowing the history of an item,” she says. “It’s important to know who wore something, and what they were like.” She believes that being able to share that story is part of what makes items worth having. 

Dee says she actually sees “stuff” as the backdrop of our lives. “It’s what surrounds us when we make memories. A certain scent can remind you of someone’s home. A tiny figurine can bring you back to your grandmother’s shelf,” she explains. “And these details matter more than many people realize.”  

A Different Way to Think About Secondhand

Part of Dee’s mission is to help people see secondhand shopping in a new way. The items at Art House may be vintage, antique, repurposed, handmade, or upcycled, but the shop has a clean, thoughtful feel. This isn’t a place where you have to dig through piles of junk to find one good thing.

Instead, everything is hand-picked. 

Dee looks for items with timeless colors and silhouettes that won't feel dated in three years, and mixes them with things that she finds are fun and a little bit “kookie.” English stoneware sits alongside the most incredible shoes you’ve ever seen. Books about local Manatee County history are placed near incense, art objects made from baby doll heads, mounted butterflies, homemade candles, and other incredible finds. 

Circular Living, With a Creative Twist 

Spend a little time with Dee, and you’ll eventually find yourself talking about circular living, repurposing, and keeping things out of landfills. “There’s already so much stuff in the world,” she says, describing the literal mountains of dirty, discarded clothing piled up in countries like Kenya. And in the next breath, she’ll bring some hope, explaining that in some areas, creative people have started turning it into artwork and reselling it. 

And this is really similar to what she’s doing in her little space on Manatee Ave. The Art House isn’t a place that holds other people’s junk. It’s where things that still have tons of value find new life. 

In addition to having an eye for picking beautiful things, Dee also repurposes fabric, alters clothes, and helps customers rethink what they already own. 

“Everybody’s closet has at least one pair of pants that are a bit too long or a dress with the strap that keeps falling down,” she says. Instead of keeping it forever or giving it away, you can bring those items to the Art House Boutique, and she’ll make them good as new with low-cost alterations. She’s also a genius at repurposing items that don’t feel quite right, often turning them into one of your most prized possessions. 

And if you purchase items from the shop, she’ll alter them for free. This is a service that’s rarely found in even the most high-end boutiques, and is a testament to just how much she cares. 

A Cozy, Creative Space for Community & Connection 

Dee explains that she grew up around family-owned restaurants, where hospitality was part of everyday life. “People came in as they were,” she says. “Families knew their customers by name. Small businesses sponsored local teams, asked about people’s kids, and made space for real conversations.” 

While she loves to help her customers find the perfect items to bring home, she’s really not focused on the sale. She says it’s important to her that the space feels like a place where people can slow down for a minute. 

She wants people to feel comfortable stopping by to browse, relax on the couch, and strike up a conversation. 

To help encourage circular living, Dee teaches sewing at the Art House Boutique at a super affordable rate of just $60 for 3 classes. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to be able to make simple fixes, create their own clothing, or repurpose what they already have. 

She also hosts classes and events to bring the community together. This includes watercolor art and mixed media classes, pop-up yard sales, and more. You can follow Art House Boutique on Instagram to keep up with event announcements, new arrivals, and other important updates. 

The Art House Boutique is located at 1806 Manatee Ave W, Bradenton FL 34205.
They’re typically open Tuesdays 11 am to 3 pm and Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11 am to 5 pm. 

When you stop by (And I hope you will) don’t forget to tell her you heard about it on Discover Bradenton.