When you walk into the new Two Times Clothing and Collectibles on Market Plaza in downtown Wheeling, you are immediately met with a vibrant, rainbow array of retro fashion. Racks and racks of vintage jackets, graphic tees, perfectly-worn denim, and just about every former style of sports jersey can be found within the treasure trove collected by owner Peyton Bourgeois. The shop describes itself as a “collection of hand-sourced vintage and second-hand clothing,” and its cheeky slogan of “wear it two times!” perfectly encapsulates the owner’s playful, effervescent personality.
A Wheeling transplant, Bourgeois didn’t originally come to the Ohio Valley to open a vintage shop. In fact, in 2018, he moved here from Louisiana to take a job in the oil and gas industry. He spent several years working there, until returning to Louisiana during the pandemic. But something had started to quietly grow during his time here, enticing him to come back. While working his day job, Bourgeois had begun sourcing the vintage clothing and collectibles that would eventually become his product base. By 2022, he was selling the items online to customers all over the country. But, eventually, what had started as a side hustle turned into something bigger.
After a couple years of collecting and online sales, Bourgeois and a business partner launched the first Two Times storefront in December 2024 across the river in Martins Ferry. By December 2025, he and his partner had gone separate ways and he made the decision to move the shop to Wheeling. He loves the new location and is incredibly happy with his decision to move. He gushes about how the area offers stronger foot traffic from downtown visitors and employees, as well as how pleased he is that the Plaza’s proximity to a highway entrance means an unexpected number of visitors who stop in after spotting the storefront while driving by or see it on a map on their way out of town. Additionally, he is amazed by how well Wheeling’s strong and ever-growing arts and creative scene fit so naturally with the shop’s aesthetic and overall vibe.
In addition to the brick-and-mortar shop, Bourgeois has built a decent following online. Dating back to his time spent exclusively on the digital marketplace, his social media accounts feature engaging clothing haul videos showing off new arrivals and regular deals, promotions, and giveaways. This past winter, you may remember how he and Nic Provenzano of Outdated Threads gained viral attention with humorous elf-themed marketing videos around Wheeling. While not actually a huge business driver for the pair, Bourgeois says that the videos did help introduce the store to a wider audience and made him a recognizable figure around town. This sort of online presence showcasing his personality is part of a simple philosophy Bourgeois believes in when it comes to running a small business: “If you try, if you just show effort, people will come.”
Last fall, Bourgeois was invited to speak alongside Mayor Magruder at a Why Don’t You Stay Awhile gathering, celebrating the youth-retention group’s first anniversary. The experience was a special accomplishment and something he is very proud of, as it made him realize just how much his role in our community has grown and how he is considered an entrepreneurial role model.
For Bourgeois, the thing that matters most is the sense of belonging that he has found here in Wheeling. He says that something about the city and the people who live here has made it feel different from anywhere else he has lived. At this point, the store is more than just a clothing business to him, it’s a physical representation of the journey that led him to the community he now calls home.
“In Wheeling,” he says, “I feel like I’m finally where I’m meant to be.”
