Cataloging Quality Through The Decades with Vintage Shop Owner Jaina Shaw

On Episode 35, Jaina Shaw, owner and operator of Dino-Mite Vintage!, comes to chat with Ryan about her shop in Wantagh, NY. Jaina is a professional retro and vintage reseller who opened the doors of her business and community gathering space in 2024. Specializing in quality plus-sized clothing, bed linens, and table coverings, as well as all things dinosaurs, Dino-Mite Vintage! strives to add a sense of play to the retail experience. Though she’s known in Nassau County as an archeologist of the fashion of yesteryear, she has a deep-rooted career in librarianship that actively plays a role in the day-to-day operations of Dino-Mite.

In this conversation, Jaina talks about growing up in Minnesota and discovering a passion for organization and archiving in early adulthood. She discusses her time as a Teen Librarian in Connecticut and using her resources to bring gaming, physical activity, and new energy into her library through the use of a “Black Market Wii.” With a focus on work/life balance she moved on from librarianship and found herself in the world of vintage pop-up markets before opening her own brick and mortar shop. Jaina also shares humorous insights into the culture of Long Islanders, the beauty of repurposing items that we regularly take for granted, and describes how Pee Wee’s Big Adventure played a major part in design design aesthetics.

For more information on Jaina, check out @dinomitevintage on Instagram and TikTok.

For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram and TikTok, or email meditations@ryanzlomek.com.