14 Portland Street, Worcester
Grace Denney
Thanks to social media and rising clothing prices, thrifting clothes – new and vintage alike – has officially become mainstream. Right in the middle of it all is Ace of Babes in Worcester, MA. Taylor Ward-Faherty is the mastermind behind it all, tailoring the colorful inventory of the store to radiate good vibes to all of those that visit.
Ward-Faherty didn’t always dream of opening her own store, she started her career doing various different jobs. “I was working at a post office facility. I was burnt out, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I didn’t go to college, and was always an artistic person, and was like, ‘What can I do with that?’”
She started consigning in Vermont after a friend who owned a vintage store asked her to work there after one of her employees, a college student, had to go back to school. Ward-Faherty took the leap of faith and moved to Vermont, starting her vintage journey.
As she began sourcing, she quickly saw results. Payouts were good, she was a natural at it, and she was happy. However, her and her husband wanted to move back to their home state of Massachusetts, but she didn’t want to stop doing what she loved. So, she started saving, and she found a home for her business in Worcester.
But first, she needed a name that would stick. When she was in the process of saving money, she worked at another vintage store as a consignor saving up money, she got the advice to brand herself.
“I went home, and I asked my husband for some help, and he was not helpful,” she laughs. “He was just throwing out really silly things that didn’t make any sense…then he turned around in his spinny chair, and he’s wearing his Motörhead t-shirt! So, I started playing on words, I was like, ‘Ace of Spades, Ace of…’ Just rambling in my head, and I’m like, ‘Ace of Babes is kind of cute!’ I’m the Ace of all babes! I’m here to find something for all of the babes,” she exclaims.
The store’s start was anything but ordinary. When Ward-Faherty opened her store on December 8, 2025, she would have never thought it would be overshadowed by the zombie apocalypse!
“They were filming The Walking Dead right outside of the store,” she laughs. “The street was entirely blocked off. They were supposed to be done filming three days before, but they weren’t… It looked like a post-apocalyptic street. There were broken down cars, there was trash, there was a smoke machine outside my door. It was, like, literally, the worst-case scenario.”
Despite the unusual setback, Ward-Faherty rolled with the punches, saying every week has been better than the last. The Worcester thrifting community has made her feel so welcomed. “I’ve realized really quickly that Worcester may have 200,000 people, but it doesn’t feel like it, because we’re all these little tiny pockets of subcultures and communities, and I love that. It makes it feel so much more special to make these connections with customers,” she says.
Her goal is to make sure she has something for everyone in her store, making sure everyone feels comfortable in her space. “I think for the most part, people tell me my prices are really great, which is what you would see in a thrift store. I think they’re a bit higher than that, but still reasonable and accessible, which is a big goal of mine. I want everyone to feel like they can shop here,” she says.
Ace of Babes is a trendy mix of cute, modern, thrifty items with a vintage twist. “I have anything from, like, $12 Y2K sunglasses to a $140 slip from the Edwardian period. Everything is sized to modern sizing, I have things color coded and steamed, and a lot of other vintage stores do that, but I pop in a couple modern pieces here and there, just to make it feel a little more familiar,” she notes.
In three words, Ward Faherty would describe her shop as “colorful, welcoming, and…me!” Even her own mother says coming into the store, “It feels like you in here.” It’s become a whimsical extension of Ward-Faherty that she’s eager to share with the vintage and thrifting communities alike.
With a 5-star rating on Google, it’s easy to see that she is quickly becoming a staple for the vintage community, and rightfully so. You can find her on Instagram @aceofbabesvintage and on Facebook as Ace of Babes Vintage.
