Meet the Dynamic Duo Behind Neato

You don’t need to spend time with the husband and wife team that owns Neato Vintage, Jesse and Caitlin, to know how highly they value having a great sense of humor. You can totally pick this up just by scrolling through their blog, which showcases a feed of new arrivals accompanied by witty one liners. Case in point: “A lovely pair of Paul McCobb dressers are visiting the shop, careful– they might follow you home.” 

To be with Jesse and Caitlin is not only to experience firsthand their playful nature; it’s to see how much they love one another and their work. In their Humboldt Park storefront, they told me how a mutual passion for “the old, awesome, unique and obscure” united them. Further explaining the urge to seek out, collect and resell pre-owned and vintage items, Jesse describes how his father was himself a collector, and how he grew up wandering the flea markets with dear old dad.

The store is filled with a thoughtful mix of timeless, functional wooden Mid-Century pieces and decor to make any space instantly have a unique and collected feel. Oh yes, and it is proudly patrolled by Mischka The Cat (often featured snoozing comfortably on the blog). Ultimately, this mix reflects quite accurately Caitlin and Jesse’s personalities. It is clear that along with a willingness to be cheeky and have fun, a sincerity about and reverence for the history and impact of furniture design goes hand-in-hand for these two. Below, they speak directly to any collector’s soul when describing their favorite vacation and force us to admit that Pixar has gone beyond nailing ageless humor, but also must have some animators that double as design lovers.