New vintage clothing store now open in downtown Raleigh. Here’s where & what’s inside
Christian Roach and Maddie Lukomski, owners of new retail store that opened in Raleigh on July 13, have been fans of vintage clothing for years.
“It was kind of like our hobby when we first started dating,” Lukomski said. “We would go, just shop vintage, hit all the stores in New York and make a day out of it.”
About a year ago, wanting a lifestyle change, the couple moved to New Orleans. Soon after arriving, they realized they wanted to be their own bosses. Opening a vintage store seemed like a great fit, combining their interests and previous work experience in the hospitality and fashion industries.
Though they considered setting up shop in New Orleans, Roach wanted to be closer to friends and family in North Carolina.
“I think we have felt very inspired by how much Raleigh is growing, and with all of our travels — we’ve been to coast to coast, bigger cities — and every city seems to have a premium vintage experience, and we just wanted to bring that to Raleigh specifically,” Roach said.
He and Lukomski chose a space off Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh for the store. The basement boutique, filled with the smoky aroma of palo santo, shows off exposed brick walls and concrete floors.
The couple spent the past month getting Same Old Same Old Vintage ready for its grand opening.
Inside Same Old Same Old Vintage
Several features of the store are personal. The tin wall that separates the fitting rooms was built by Roach’s uncle, who’s a carpenter. Roach found the tin at a barn while shopping at an estate sale in Virginia.
The curtains that close off each fitting room are actually pieces of canvas that Roach’s uncle had used for painting projects.
Some of the garment racks were made by Roach and Lukomski using metal pipes.
“We basically just tried to take bits of scrap and make it work for us,” Lukomski said.
Apparel sold at Same Old Same Old Vintage — a name selected in hopes it would resonate with the locals and reflect timelessness — is sourced from across the country. Roach and Lukomski have combed through tons of merchandise in cities as far as Philadelphia, Houston and Fresno.
“We don’t want all of our clothes to just look like one region,” Lukomski said.
Much of the inventory at Same Old Same Old was produced in America, and featured brands include Levi’s, Wrangler, Dickies and Harley Davidson. Tops, shorts, denim pants, jewelry and accessories are available, and the store stocks pieces for men and women in size-inclusive options.
“We want everyone to find something here,” Lukomski said.
Same Old Same Old Vintage is located at 232 Fayetteville St. in Raleigh. The grand opening featured an outfit raffle, refreshments, “good vibes” and “good music.”
This story was originally published July 12, 2024 at 5:06 PM with the headline "New vintage clothing store now open in downtown Raleigh. Here’s where & what’s inside."
