What: Cool and Curated
Where: 814 Granby Street, NEON District, Norfolk (around the corner from Sanctuary)
The Vibe: Part vintage retail haven, part local pop-culture museum
What to Shop: High-grade 1960s comic books, vintage apparel, vinyl records, cassettes, graded sports cards, original art and historic music memorabilia
Follow on Instagram: @coolandcuratedshop
If you ever wandered into the former MacArthur Center’s most curious of curiosity shops, you are already familiar with Larry Estes’s Cool and Eclectic. For those in need of an introduction, the shop that’s part museum, part vintage treasure trove has reopened in the NEON District as Cool and Curated. The beloved shop officially reopened Aug. 22, 2026 at 814 Granby St. in a former nightclub, and it’s just as unexpectedly packed with nostalgic finds as its predecessor.
After a long summer of moving Norfolk’s largest collection of pop culture artifacts and local history, Estes is settled into his new digs, thanks to a massive hand from members of Tidewater Community College’s Music Department who helped organize the move.
“Well, it was the toughest thing I’ve ever done is this move,” Estes said of the transition into the two-story space. However, the location holds a special significance for him and his family’s history. “I love being here. I love being in a place that both these journeys here relate to this very street, Granby Street.”
“Both of those journeys” refers to two of the shop’s must-see exhibits: the upstairs “Headless Betty” shrine and the ground-floor tribute to Estes’s grandfather, a 1920s Norfolk Police officer.
While the name has evolved from Cool and Eclectic, the core inventory still holds everything a treasure hunter could hope for. As with the previous store, Cool and Curated’s shoppers can easily lose track of time flipping through old comic books, which include well-preserved, high-grade issues from the 1960s, and straight-from-the-pack baseball cards. Estes’s racks and shelves are loaded with vintage clothes, unique autographs, classic vinyl records, cassettes and rare music memorabilia from the early days of MTV.
Upcoming Events at Cool and Curated
Friday, October 9: Batgirl Meet & Greet. Stop by for a signing and meet-and-greet with Bronze Age Batgirl Karen Whitfield from 5 to 8 p.m.
Friday, October 16: NEON Nights. Visit during the district-wide festival to claim a free vinyl record to paint, which will be exhibited in the shop as part of an MTV-era art project.
Asked to describe his store, Estes is quick to brag about the meticulously preserved quality of his comics, toys and other finds, saying, “I mean look at these originals.”
Beyond the retail finds, Cool and Curated operates as an immersive mini-museum. Downstairs, Estes has constructed a deeply personal visual tribute to his grandfather, who walked the beat on Granby Street as a Norfolk Police Department officer in the 1920s. He recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of his grandfather’s time on the force.
Upstairs, a hidden studio serves as a shrine for Norfolk’s quirkiest local legend: Headless Betty. Estes discovered a discarded mannequin in a field 21 years ago. After a syndicated cartoonist helped creatively restore her head, Betty (Boop, of course) became an underground sensation. “So you can see, I have thousands of people posing with her,” Estes noted, pointing to a massive display of musicians, celebrities, and fans who have crossed paths with the infamous mannequin over the past two decades.
Whether you’re hunting for a rare collectible, building your vintage wardrobe, or just want to snap a selfie with Headless Betty, Cool and Curated is a can’t-miss. Stop by during the upcoming NEON Nights festival on October 16 to experience Granby Street’s coolest new addition.
