Chris Osburn was born loving old things.
As a kid, he was a regular at O’Malley’s Antiques, the Shadyside store his aunt Mildred O’Malley ran for more than four decades. The young boy browsed the merchandise and listened to elderly customers reminisce.
Osburn, who works full-time in a foundry, turned that love of vintage goods into a lucrative side hustle by treasure hunting and then selling his finds on eBay. Now, 15 years later, he and his fiancé Monique Ricci own Brass Monkey Trading Co. in West View.
They opened on April Fool’s Day 2022 and it’s been serious business ever since.
Located at 431 Perry Highway, the 1,500-square-foot storefront houses an array of collectibles, from clocks, typewriters and transistor radios to dishware, furniture and jewelry. This isn’t your average thrift store, nor is it a high-priced auction house.
“We wanted a place that was unique and funky,” says Ricci, a hairstylist by trade. “We try to cater to everybody – old, young, folks from the suburbs and the city – and have a price range that could fit any budget.”
Hours are 10 to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Brass Monkey will host a Memorial Day Sidewalk Sale May 28-30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Brighton Heights couple does online searches and regularly hits estate liquidations, garage sales and flea markets to stock their shelves with interesting items.
Recent sales include a retro hand-shaped, plastic chair and a clock that runs on atmospheric pressure changes. Visitors can peruse steamer trunks, Pyrex bowls, tools, weathered tin signs and ornate lamps that look more like works of art. (Speaking of art, there’s a slightly creepy painting of Jesus for sale there, too.)
Brass Monkey also accepts donations and buys directly from sellers. Think you’ve got something good? Fill out an online form.
Osburn and Ricci, who grew up together in Bloomfield, named the company Brass Monkey after the Beastie Boys song, but it’s also a nod to the prevalence of the alloy in a lot of antiques.
As a juxtaposition to the patinaed, tin ceiling and the time-worn baubles on the shelves, there’s a modern, graffiti-style mural on the walls painted by artists Shane Pilster and Max “Gems” Gonzales.
Brass Monkey’s clientele is as diverse as the décor. It’s a mix of teens and old-timers, no-nonsense collectors, sentimental impulse buyers and Instagram influencers (visit them on Instagram).
The couple’s happy to be in West View, where they have a future selling the past.
Kristy Locklin is a writer based in the North Hills of Pittsburgh.
