Unlike the usual trend of shop closures the country has seen this year, the owners of GoodGoodVintage decided to turn their storage space just off Bramall Lane into a fully-functioning shop.
Run by fashion-mad couple Suzy Babington and Jack Towndrow (30), GoodGoodVintage has almost 50,000 followers on fashion resale app Depop after six years of selling high-quality designer garments online.
As other vintage stores in the Steel City have faced closure, Suzy Babington, the co-owner, said: “This store is our antidote to the cost of living crisis.”
After originally buying the space in Chaucer Yard, Highfield to use as storage for their thousands of pre-loved pieces, a few successful pop-up events led the pair to see its potential as a shop and event space.
“Storage units are so expensive that we wanted to make the most of the space we had, and make the process of running this shop more personal and creative,” Suzy Babington said.
They celebrated their opening to the public this weekend (22-23 April) with music from Sheffield DJ @mucho_maas and vegan baked goods from Lovely Rita’s Bakehouse.
GoodGoodVintage’s opening times will vary week-on-week and can be found on their instagram. They plan to open every week from Thursday to Sunday in the near future, the owners told Sheffield Wire.
The warehouse showroom stocks mens, womens and unisex vintage pieces from a variety of high-end brands, from Jean Paul Gaultier to Carhartt.
Everything sold in the store is handpicked by co-owners Babington and Towndrow, who put an emphasis on sourcing high-quality garments that “stand the test of time.”
With prices starting at £15, fellow owner Jack Towndrow said that keeping their clothes affordable is an important part of their business.
“Whoever made the clothes we choose made them with the intention of making a good garment, not to make loads of money. So for what you pay, you get a lot for your money,” he said.
Though most of their customers are students, GoodGoodVintage tries to appeal to all demographics. “We’ve had old ladies come and love a long leather jacket. We want our stuff to appeal to everyone,” Mr Towndrow added.
Another part of GoodGoodVintage’s ethos is making their business as sustainable as possible. Unlike other vintage shops, they have chosen not to fly abroad when sourcing their stock.
They also use biodegradable packaging and re-use plastic sacks for buying trips.
Their next event will take place in the Chaucer Yard courtyard on 13-14 May, and will also feature Sheffield DJs and produce.
