A love of vintage clothes and good deals brought Everyday People Clothing Exchange owners and sisters Kitty Van Hofwegen and Liza Youngscap into business together.
It also brought them to the Twin Cities.
The sisters opened their first store in late 1997 in Dinkytown, moving up from Lawrence, Kan., to take advantage of what was then a relatively roomy market for vintage and fine used apparel. They opened their Uptown store five years later and their St. Paul location last year.
Everyday People, named after the late-'60s Sly & the Family Stone song, buys clothes for cash, trade or credit. It differs from a consignment shop because sellers get their cash or trade right away, without waiting for their items to sell first.
The stores appeal to young hipsters with a balanced mix of newer styles and vintage clothes, many from the '60s to the '80s. Most pieces go for $10 to $15, Van Hofwegen said. You can find things for $5 but rarely more than $100 for, say, an almost-new pair of designer shoes. Affordable jewelry, purses and bags are also available.
Everyday People has seen an uptick in business in Uptown and St. Paul, thanks to recession-friendly prices for sellers looking for some quick cash. Things have been slower in Dinkytown and that store location will likely close later this year.
Three and out with Everyday People's Kitty Van Hofwegen
- What are you buying now?
Things bought within that last year or two that are in good condition, that are clean, with no need for repairs. We buy more according to style rather than just sticking to brands.
- What do you like in vintage clothes?
I stick to anything between the '50s and '70s. I went to high school in the '80s so I'm not into the '80s like a lot of people are now, or even the '90s. And that just blows me away because it's not my favorite look, I'd have to say.
