Oh snap—our “new” beach house stove is actually older than we are. It’s from 1959, and it’s pink. I’m ridiculously excited. John’s reaction is best described as cautiously optimistic, but I’ll get to that in a moment.
We paid $195 for it at a secondhand shop called Class & Trash about 30 minutes from our house. When they posted the stove on Facebook, people tagged me and I happened to see it in my feed. I knew instantly I wanted it. I left a voicemail the night it was posted and messaged the owner, but what really sealed the deal was showing up at the store first thing the next morning with cash. The owner was relieved—apparently a lot of people had been asking about it. Later I even found a similar listing on eBay for a much higher price, so I felt like we scored. With a name like “Custom Imperial Stove by Frigidaire,” it suddenly felt very swanky—even if the handles need a good scrub.
Transporting it took some effort. We spent about $75 renting a U-Haul truck with a ramp because the stove is extremely heavy—no way anyone could lift it into a pickup or SUV. It took four people to carefully guide it off the truck and into our garage. John is practically invisible in one photo because he’s behind the stove, bracing it so it didn’t come barreling down the ramp.
The stove is 40 inches wide, has two ovens and a warming drawer, plus a built-in clock and a stack of dials I’m excited to try. John, forever the practical one, insisted we prioritize safety: even though the seller said it was “working,” we’re having it completely rewired and triple-checked. That means the stove will keep its vintage exterior but get modern, safe wiring and connections in the back. The original wiring was a tangled mess—there’s a removable back panel that exposes it, so it’s not normally visible, but it was definitely in need of attention.
We’ll also add modern safety features like a proper grounding line and a standard outlet instead of the spliced hot wires it came with. Everything will be updated so it’s safe to use in our century-old beach house.
The stove needs a thorough cleaning, but overall it’s in excellent shape. The appliance repairman who inspected it said it’s the best condition he’s seen for something this old. He joked that the original owner probably bought it for looks and didn’t cook much—maybe she ate out frequently and drove a matching pink Cadillac. I like picturing this glamorous fictional owner; she feels like a retro-era style icon.
We expect to spend around $200 on rewiring and safety updates, which brings the total—purchase, transport, and restoration—to about $500. Even if costs run to $600, that’s still a great deal compared with new retro-style appliances, which can run into the thousands. For reference, many modern retro ovens and fridges in similar colors are priced much higher, making this vintage find a bargain.
Most of the kitchen cabinetry and fixtures have arrived at the house, and we’re waiting for plumbing, electrical, and HVAC to be finalized so the walls can go back up. We’ll be spending summer weekends installing tile and assembling the kitchen, and we can’t wait to share photos as the space comes together. The exterior of the house is nearly finished too, so it’s hard not to imagine this home destined for a pink stove.
This stove also helped me move on from my vintage-fridge obsession. I’d fallen for many colorful retro fridges online, but John reminded me that a beach house needs a solid freezer for popsicles and ice cream—many retro fridges have tiny freezers. In the end, a charming, full-size vintage stove was the right fit. #pinkkismet
Psst—People often ask about paint colors and where we got furniture and decor. We compiled a full house list with photos, paint names, and sources. Check our whole-house master list for details.