���߲ݴ�ý

Deleeuw grew up in Vaughn but loves the vintage vibes in Guelph. He became a franchisee and said he put in a lot of work quickly to set up the store. Vintage Meets Hype is open noon-7 p.m. every day and staff are always buying, selling and trading.

“A lot of people don’t necessarily cater to our demographic,” Deleeuw said. “And not many offer trades or buy product in-store. A customer just sold a pair of shoes quick and easy, and I think that’s the biggest difference between us and everyone else.”

They also had a lot of merchandise to start off with, since Deleeuw has been collecting since he was 11 years old. He said he had a storage unit in ���߲ݴ�ýpacked full of stuff and he was just waiting for the chance to open a store.

“I was a shoe collector, kind of clothing as well, but I joke that I became a hoarder,” he said.

Deleeuw said he has a small team of close friends that really enjoy working together and have always been passionate about vintage.

Inventory manager Michael Cote runs the online sales and creative director Austin Bowman takes the lead for social media. Hayleigh Walser is a public relations placement student.

Cote, who grew up in Burlington, said that sometimes they work until all hours of the night because they would be hanging out anyways.

“At the end of the day we just love clothes. We love the space and love each other and want to see each other succeed,” Cote said.

Deleeuw said streetwear is what brings people in, comfortable and casual clothes, but also designer labels at more affordable prices.

“We have $1,000 retail items priced at just $200 or $300 because they’re pre-owned,” he said. “Then there’s belts, bags, socks, stickers, jewelry you name it. Anything related to fashion, we do.”

Cote said that vintage clothes were made well and have survived the test of time.

“It goes back to that sustainability piece,” he said. “And I think 90 per cent of my closet at the moment is vintage. It fits me great, the quality is great, and it’s cheap.”

He said he thinks ���߲ݴ�ýhas a lot of vintage stores because of the type of people that live here.

“People here want to keep the environment clean, and wear used clothes instead of buying brand new to keep stuff out of landfills,” Cote said. “We’re kind of debunking the myth that new things need to be made.”

They also strive to have the best prices possible because they know what it’s like to be students and balance their funds.

“Any student who comes in here and spends their very limited funds, I am forever grateful,” Cote said.

As collectors, they are always looking for very specific brands and items. They know their own merchandise but also have years of fashion expertise and awareness of the trade that couldn’t be taught to a new employee.

They love when people pop in to chat with them and bring them items to look through, and said they already have some regulars at the store. They also buy and sell on Instagram, eBay, Poshmark, Grailed, and have many personal connections.

Deleeuw said they have hand-picked items from warehouses, go to sales and flea markets, and always keep busy.

You can check them out now at .