North Minneapolis · Est. October 2018

The Cat & The Cobra

Vintage Clothing

Hand-picked denim, workwear, tees, leather and boots on Lowry Avenue. Casey works the Twin Cities thrift stores, Eric drives the small towns of the Midwest for the older, rarer pieces, and the shop cat keeps an eye on the rails.

Plan a visit (612) 500-9926

4.9

192 Google reviews

Open

Sat 12-6 · Sun 12-5 · Mon 12-5

The shop cat on top of a green step ladder beneath a vintage Big Smith Work Clothing Department sign, with stacked denim and colour-sorted shirt rails — Work Clothing Dept.
Supervised from the top of the ladder.

From the racks

Recent finds, tagged the way they came in.

Pre-war overalls, shop jackets and car coats sit next to '90s Carhartt and Minnesota tees. The good ones go fast, so new arrivals land on Instagram first.

Faded early twentieth century Big 3 Triple Stitch denim overalls laid flat on concrete

SOLD

1910s to early '20s

Big 3 “Triple Stitch” overalls

Levy Overall Mfg Co., Cincinnati, Ohio

Triple-stitched work denim, more than a hundred years old.

SOLD

1920s

OshKosh B’Gosh work pants

Cinch back and union tag intact, 26 inch waist

Likely worn by a younger member of a farm family in North Dakota.

SOLD

1930s

Horsehide leather car coat

J.C. Penney Co. “Sterling”, true black

A pre-war car coat, and the kind of black that only horsehide does.

1930s

Servis automotive shop jacket

Wellington twill, made by Hinson in Waterloo, Iowa

Two pockets, faded tan, and in the shop’s own words, it smells 1930s.

SOLD

1990s

Carhartt hunting jacket

Camo duck with a brown corduroy collar

Proof the rails run all the way up to the ’90s.

Minnesota tee

Fridley Distance Runners

“Have More Sole” print on gold

A running club tee from Fridley, just north of the city.

New arrivals on Instagram Shop on Etsy

The Cat and the Cobra storefront on Lowry Avenue: red brick, a hand-painted yellow Vintage Clothing sign and red window frames

The shop cat sitting on the counter, whose front is an old painted KEY Work Clothes sign, with flannel shirts and a Levi’s banner behind

710 Lowry Ave N, and the counter, which used to be a KEY Work Clothes sign.

Since October 2018

Two pickers, one shop, a lot of miles.

Casey Henricksen and Eric Swenson opened The Cat and the Cobra in October 2018. On the days the doors are shut, the two of them are out looking. Casey covers the Twin Cities thrift circuit. Eric heads for the small towns across the Midwest, where the '60s-and-older pieces still turn up.

That split is why the rails read the way they do: plenty of '70s, '80s and '90s, threaded with workwear that is a century old. Everything is hand-picked, and the racks are hung by colour and pattern, so the shop is as good to look at as it is to dig through.

Today the shop lives at 710 Lowry Ave N, under a hand-painted yellow sign, with old trade signs from Big Smith and KEY Work Clothes on the walls and a cat on the counter.

“When Eric is out, he's looking for pieces that are like '60s and older, the really special stuff.”
Casey Henricksen, speaking to The Minnesota Daily

2018

Doors opened

4.9

From 192 reviews

Shop cat

On the rails

Sorted by colour. Picked by hand.

“Love the color / pattern organizations. Not only is it fun to shop, it’s really lovely to look at.”

Christine Benson, Google review

Colourful granny-square crochet cardigan hanging above a row of denim — Granny-square crochet

Your Acid Park graphic t-shirt on a hanger against a red wall — Graphic tees

Cow print faux fur jacket hanging over denim jackets — Outerwear

Three pairs of paint-splattered patched work pants on a rolling rack — Painter’s pants

Butterfly and wildflower print t-shirt against white painted brick — Botanical prints

Cream chore jacket and brown corduroy jacket draped over a red step ladder — Chore jackets & cord

The shop cat walking along a shelf in front of a glass block window, above a rail of brightly coloured shirts

And yes

There's a shop cat.

Found on window shelves, ladders and the front counter. Customers write about the cat almost as often as the clothes.

“Go in, listen to music, pet the cat & catch the vibe!”
ariel marie baker
“And their shop cat is the coolest around! 🐈”
Kristin Frye

New this October

Repairs & alterations, in the shop.

Bring your clothes in for a little extra love, whether that's a repair or a simple alteration. The work is done by Izak, who has been part of the shop since 2022 and has spent the last three years training under an experienced tailor.

What: Repairs and simple alterations
Drop off & pick up: At the shop, every other weekend, starting October 17
Questions: Message Izak any time on Instagram, @the__silver_lining_

Izak, the shop’s tailor, sitting at an industrial sewing machine beside a wall of thread spools — Izak at the machine

What people say

“the very best at vintage retail in the cities.”

“Knowledgeable, hardworking & passionate. The clothing is handpicked - wild and eclectic. Casey and Eric curated a beautiful space welcome to all sorts of folks. Go in, listen to music, pet the cat & catch the vibe! Thanks for being a part of North Minneapolis, Cat & Cobra!”

ariel marie baker, Google

4.9

Average from 192 Google reviews

“Cat & Cobra is such a cool shop! They curate so many dope, unique pieces, and the owners are always super nice, welcoming, and helpful. The location is great, the shop is really clean, and they have good prices for such a fun selection. My kids absolutely love it too—and let me tell you, pleasing a 16-year-old and a 19-year-old is no easy task! 😂 They always find something they love here, and honestly, I always find something too! And their shop cat is the coolest around! 🐈 That little guy is one of my favorite things about stopping in. I love bringing my out-of-town friends here because it’s such a fun, unique Minneapolis spot. Definitely worth checking out!”

Kristin Frye

Google review, August 2026

“Some of my most rad & treasured vintage tees have come from Casey & Eric at The Cat and the Cobra! Have loved watching their business expand & grow over the years! Always fun to chat with while shopping!!”

Rachel Pike

Google review, August 2026

“Great store with an amazing selection! Love the color / pattern organizations. Not only is it fun to shop, it’s really lovely to look at. My son got an awesome pair of boots and we’ll definitely be back!”

Christine Benson

Google review, August 2026