THE URBAN ECCENTRIC, located on Main Street in Vancouver, specializes in vintage and second-hand clothing at affordable prices. The store’s owner, Chris Jochum, also buys and trades clothing items for cash and store credit.
In rough economic times, consumers are always looking for ways to be frugal, be it in food, recreation, or clothes. Second-hand clothing stores have done well in the last few years, capitalizing on their ability to provide quality attire for decent prices, especially in the “hipster” capital – the Portland/Vancouver area.
Chris Jochum, owner of The Urban Eccentric vintage clothing store in Vancouver, has seen the trend grow in the 10 years she’s been in business and said people buy second-hand for reasons other than looking “hip.”
“I’ve always liked to shop second-hand and it’s a variety of things, really,” Jochum said. “Some tell me it’s because they’re trying to be more environmentally sound. Others say they’re taking a stand with the way clothing makers overseas are treated, and some have economic reasons, saying they find better deals second-hand than they do at any department store.”
Jochum added she also had a few customers who’ve told her they were following through on New Year’s Resolutions to not buy any new clothes, which she was more than happy to cater to. The Urban Eccentric offers everything from Victorian-era to early-90’s items, some harder to find than others.
“I, personally, love Victorian-era clothes, but given how old it is makes it tough to find. Same with 20’s and 30’s-era clothes,” Jochum said. “There’s just not a lot of it left.”
At the moment, clothes from the 1950’s to the 1970’s tend to be the most available, and Jochum admits she’s seen some fairly outlandish things from that era.
“I had someone bring in a 70’s-style men’s suit that was orange and brown checkerboard and made of hemp,” Jochum said. “The pants had bell bottoms and the jacket had a paisley lining in it.”
Unable to sell it to someone in her store, Jochum was able to find a buyer online through etsy,com, where she’s also a vendor.
“I’m selling online to people who aren’t always looking to wear the clothes they buy,” Jochum said. “Some are collectors and others are looking to study them.”
The Urban Eccentric also buys and trades clothes for cash or store credit, and Jochum will take a look at most anything, but with some criteria in place.
“Obviously, we’d like items to be clean,” Jochum said. “If it’s a material that you’re not sure how to clean, then go ahead and bring it in. But if it’s something that can be washed in a washing machine, then that will make it more appealing to buyers.”
Since Jochum does her own buying, she asks that customers call first to tell her what they have before they bring it in, and offers 35 percent of the retail cost on items she wants, while offering more for trade.
“Obviously, the more unique an item is, the more interested I’ll be in it,” Jochum said.
Jochum adds her store does also offer some modern clothes for resale, along with her vintage stock. The Urban Eccentric is located at 2411 Main Street in Vancouver. For more information or to set up an appointment to sell clothes, contact Chris Jochum (360) 694-2934, or via email at cjochum@mac.com.
