After two years of curating and merchandising second-hand fashion, David Chun is stepping up the VTG Mafia vintage brand with a storefront in North Park called Day to Day Creative Studios.
Day to Day will debut its retail space at 3063 University Ave. as early as next week, with more projects in store further down the road. What was once Controversial Bookstore will soon be stocked with vintage Nike hoodies and upcycled graphic tees.
“What sets us apart right now is that we have a really specific curation, everything is hand-picked,” Chun said Friday. “The biggest benefit of having a brick-and-mortar store will be that people can come in and experiment with different kinds of fashion.”
While the VTG Mafia brand mostly specializes in pieces from the ‘90s and early ‘00s, Day to Day will be broadening its selection to vintage items dating back to the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s. Once the shop is up and running, Chun hopes to incorporate a “mini-collective,” featuring items from a variety of local vintage retailers.
For eco-conscious customers in search of revitalizing their wardrobe, Day to Day will have a silkscreen for printing fresh graphics on second-hand items.
“We’ll be making a lot of custom tote bags, printing graphics onto vintage tees, and just trying to advocate for sustainability,” Chun said. “That way people can rework their clothes, and put new life into old clothes that they would have otherwise given away.”
In an era where shoppers can order vintage items from apps like Depop, Chun sees a deeper value in real storefronts, whether that’s finding your accurate sizing, or just having a destination to visit with friends.
“We’re going to be taking all of the proper precautions with the pandemic,” Chun said. “And now that things are picking up again in the area, we’re hoping that this shop will give people a reason to start going outside more and bring people into North Park.”
