On the fourth Sunday of October, by 8:30 a.m. on Sartori Avenue, the scent of fresh pastries from local bakeries, mixed with the faint nostalgic smell of old paper and aged leather, hits the morning air.
Walking down the rows feels like stepping into a living time capsule. Each independent stall offers distinct treasures: vinyl records (ranging from original jazz to vintage soundtracks of old cartoons), functional 1950s type writers, weathered leather clothes or crafts, delicate jewelry and dishware.
After a hit-and-run accident kept 87-year-old Samella Johnson away for an entire year, most people her age would have permanently embraced a quiet retirement. But that didn’t slow her down when she was setting up her stand Sunday morning, surrounded by her authentic African statues—one of which she sold for $500–sent by her late sister, who lived in Africa for 45 years.
“I’m 87 now, and I still try to find something to do, because they won’t let you work at that age,” said Johnson. “But I found something to do to keep money coming in my pocket.”
For vendors like Johnson and the thousands of collectors, shoppers, and neighboring community members who regularly pack the streets, the monthly market is far more than just a place to browse. It is a vital, living community hub that treats each of its participants as family.
The lively transformation is exactly what founders Julie Randall and Miguel Salazar envisioned when they launched the event in October 1998 to revive what was then a weekend “ghost town.” Celebrating its 28th anniversary on Sunday, October 22, the Torrance Antique Street Faire has officially grown from a 25-vendor gathering into a massive 200-exhibitor cultural institution.
“The Torrance Antique Street Faire is the proudest accomplishment of my life so far, except for parenting my two wonderful daughters,” said Randall.
Moms leveling up from yardsales
Three months ago, Maritca Figueroa, a former Toro student, and her close friends, were getting used to the silence of their homes after years of being Girl Scout moms for their daughters. But as their daughters grew up and aged out of the program, they stopped coming to weekly meetings and community fundraisers.
When one of Figueroa friends’ daughter was packing up to attend San Diego State University, she decided to hunt furniture from local estate sales, and suddenly it sparked a new idea.
“We went, and then it stemmed from there; we can actually make money for ourselves,.” said Figueroa in an interview with The Bulletin.
Figueroa and her friends initially experimented with casual neighborhood yard sales; but they realized their collection standards were too high to just sell them from the driveway. After finding out about the antique markets, they quickly began collecting more antique collectibles, merchandise and other related goods to participate.
We were sparked by the yard sales,” Figueroa clarifies.
Hunting for mid-century furniture and wartime artifacts is different from youth fundraising, but these moms aren’t starting from scratch. They used all their business skills from helping their daughters fundraise money during those spring cookie seasons.
“We were inspired by the girls because we used to sell cookies,” Figueroa said proudly. “Our girls were top sellers. I think they were really good.”
From Route 66 to Torrance Street
When walking past multiple booths, chances are you’d find a booth packed with notable rare artifacts from World War II—what veteran vendor Tim Sluder affectionately calls “guys stuff.”
For the past 15 years, Sluder, woke up early in the morning, setting up his shop in the same exact spot. Over the years, he has become a familiar face to regular treasure hunters, collectors, and history seekers.
His story spans 50 years in the antique and collectible industry; he owned a couple of storefronts in Oro Grande, a historic pitstop just outside of Victorville right along the legendary Route 66.
“On the old Route 66, the mother road, they called it,” Tim recalled. “I had stores up there, and after I sold my stores, I now just do this.”
Today, he keeps his inventory fresh with nostalgica goods from exploring estate liquidations, buying up unique leftover inventories and curated collections that families leave behind. For Sluder, his inventory isn’t just a business collection—it’s personal.
“I’m a Vietnam vet,” Sluder shared, his background helps him keep a sharp eye and a deep respect for the military “mantiques” he sources and sells.
Sluder’s collection attracted crowds of treasure hunters who frequently come to market, including regular shoppers Betty Setterlund and Nathan Chappell. The duo walks throughout the street faire almost every other month.
“It’s just about trying to walk through and see everything,” Setterlund explains. “You’ll always find treasure.”
While browsing the unique items across Sluder’s tables—featuring unique trinkets to rare military artifacts—Chappell found a large Victorian key and immediately wanted to buy it, already thinking of a creative plan to turn it into a necklace.
“Probably late 1800s,” Sluder notes, verifying the incredible age of the piece for his customers after selling it for seven dollars.
Chappell wasn’t the only one to find something special; Setterlund found a detailed, zipper vintage cushion cover for her couch pillow at home. For Setterlund, the find wasn’t just a personal treat, but a thoughtful way to connect with a friend.
“My friend has two of these other designs in her house, so I brought her this.”
To the Next Generation
When Julie Randall and Miguel Salazar launched the Torrance Antique Faire, the marketing landscape was different.
“When we started this, we didn’t have social media or cellphones,” Randall recalled. “My daughter Emily handles our social media and does a great job and I credit her with bringing in more shoppers and vendors.”
Her favorite part of organizing the event isn’t the economic boom it brought to the area, but human connections.
“It’s seeing vendors who have become friends coming back month after month, seeing their children grow up,” Randall said. “Making downtown Torrance a destination for antique lovers.”
Randall’s vision is for the market to continue to thrive with the help of her and Salazar’s children, who have been involved all 28 years.
“Our kids have been involved since the beginning, and it’s the best kind of family business,” said Randall. “They have all become involved in different aspects of the faire, showing their individual strengths.”