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WRITTEN BY | EMMA RYAN PHOTOGRAPHED BY | MARISSA HAEGELE Good Style Shop, located on 817 East Johnson Street here in Madison, is a vintage clothing collective and community fixture of the Madison fashion scene. Started in 2009 by a couple who have since gone on to pursue music, the concept has been taken over and further developed by Peter Benck, the current owner. The store has grown into a “fleastyle” collective which provides a wide range of restored vintage
clothing and accessories, even housing LP records. Benck himself was originally more of a record collector, but appreciated vintage clothing for the way it fit hand in hand with records aesthetically. This aesthetic can be seen in the shop’s periodic art shows and in-store performances, as well as the upcoming Midwest Vintage Flea Event, which is being hosted by Good Style and will showcase 15 vendors from 4 different
states. But all this success doesn’t stem from pure luck. When Peter Benck decided to take over the business, armed with a conventional business plan and his own personal motivation, his business failed within the first year. While this might have deterred some, he adapted. Good Style Shop—as it remains today—became a collective, in which all members of the staff are vendors for the store, all required to work one day a week.
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According to Benck, all of these vendors have their own “superpower,” whether it’s mid century modern wiggle dresses, vintage Levi jeans, or records. The store definitely reflects this, as it’s an eclectic space brimming with valuable finds. Anyone who’s experienced the rush that comes with finding a rare catch on a thrift outing will fall in love with the store, as each piece seems to have been personally crafted by the vintage gods. But according to Benck, that’s all the work of his loyal and valuable vendors. By purveying estate sales, auctions and thrift stores, as well as restoring vintage pieces to bring out their true potential, all those involved in the growing business have a hand in creating this vintage haven.
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