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It’s an unusually warm day and State Street is flooded with people. Under a bright yellow awning, the doors of Rethreads are propped open so those strolling by can peak into the bright selection of vintage clothes. Every surface is covered, whether it be by an array of hanging purses or sunwashed posters of Bowie. The store is remarkably homey. Behind the counter of the second hand storefront, is owner, Jacqueline Iribarren.
An interview with Jacqueline Iribarren Rethreads owner MODA MAGAZINE: Between the three Rethreads locations, how do your stores differ? Jacqueline Iribarren: Not only do people bring in different clothes but, each one has their own particular personality based on location, demographics and where they are housed. Each one has their own unique flare. Can you speak to the “flare” specific to the State Street location? There is a huge sense of fun, trends, and outfits that express your personality as a young person. Because we are here at the heart of State Street we get a lot of different perspectives and fashionistas. I want to put together a wild look, something that pushes the envelope. We have these customers! From fun, to the traditional college look, to something that pushes the edges of creativity and individuality. We have it all. Even pieces that cross the line of gender. We are friendly to all people. It’s not unusual for us to cater to different and unique individuals and personalities. What is the process of someone selling or trading an item? How do you decide what is worthy of being on display? First, we want to make sure all the pieces are in great shape– we call it “pristine.” We’re quite selective in what we take because we are not a consignment store we are cash on the spot or trade. That’s our commitment to being eco friendly– green fashion. We’re looking for pieces that are trendy, that are fun, that are edgy, and unique. I get all these comments, “I found this one piece, who knew Rethreads would have it! Who knew!” It’s about finding that jewel it could be a vintage piece it could be a modern piece, it could be a piece that was a collaboration between designers.
Thrfiting is definitley having a moment. What are some of the pros of shopping second hand? For us, we firmly believe in our responsibility to being green. We firmly believe in offering value to our customers. We can secure a piece that is one third of the original price. It could go from 300 dollars to here, 60 dollars. The value is a great attraction. Because we’re looking for these pieces to be in pristine and great condition, you can find very gently worn pieces, and even new. I believe people are looking for value. Shops like ours, where we curate the clothes, we’re ensuring that you’re going to get a great piece of clothing at a great price. I thank our customers for bringing these wonderful pieces to us– it’s like a partnership with our clientele. We have a very strong, loyal customer base. As a lot of fashion and shopping shifts online, what do you see for the future of consignment? Online shopping is a great avenue for sitting at your computer and selecting your items. But, there is nothing, nothing like having them on and trying them on. We capitalize on a lot of that because if a customer can’t return it online, we buy it. I think the social aspect and the fun aspect of coming shopping cannot be replaced. And you never know, you may come for skirts and end up with an awesome leather jacket! With Rethreads, we have new merchandise daily. You never know what you might find. I think shopping is still avery social behavior. We have a lot of families that shop together, a lot of moms and daughters and grandmas. Being on State Street, we love those outings, the out of towners and what not.
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(LEFT) JACQUELINE AND GABI POSE IN THE DOORWAY OF THE RETHREADS STATE STREET LOCATION
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We have such a great and talented staff. For example our very talented member of our team, Gabi, our visual merchandiser and she does a great job. I have to extend a kudos to our staff, when we pick staff I like to have talent; everyone who has worked at Rethreads has had an artistic inclination. Whether it has been art, photography, fashion design. What makes Rethreads so fun is that it is really full of talent.