Getting Thrifty with Dorm VTG
By Jex Mecham
Tucked away in the Library Mods is a small slice of thrift paradise. Founded by Matthew Affrica, a junior track and field athlete at SVU, Dorm VTG is a student-run vintage clothing store. Matthew runs the business out of his dorm room hence the name, Dorm VTG. Part of his inspiration for creating the business was his love of thrifting, as well as shrinking closet space:
“I’ve gotten to a point where I’ve filled out my wardrobe, I’m pretty satisfied with what I have, so whenever I thrift I’m just looking for extra cool stuff and just stockpiled so much of it that I started making money off of it.”
When looking for new pieces to add to his inventory, Matt looks close to home and sometimes wanders off of the beaten path in his efforts to grow the business,
“When I go back home to Tennessee, I go to the Goodwill bins there, so I can buy clothes by the pound. There’s a Goodwill bins in Roanoke. The Goodwill in Lexington has been pretty good to me recently, and a couple weeks ago I made a thrift trip to West Virginia where I hit like five, six Goodwills there.”
Matthew’s effort to find new items shows when looking through his inventory. Though it is small, the quality at Dorm VTG stands out, with great looking graphic tees, and sturdy outerwear items, including a beautiful tan work jacket, neatly arranged on the rack.
As for how he knows what clothing will sell, Matt chuckled.
“I guess I just hope that people like what I choose … .A big part of Dorm VTG is the vintage, so I’m looking for older clothes, 20 years and older.”
The company is relatively new, having just surpassed 1 month of operation, but the business continues to expand, and new items are added to the store frequently. Should you find yourself looking for a stylish new shirt or a comfortable new fall jacket, Dorm VTG is the place for you.
Be sure to check out @dormvtg on Instagram for updates on new items and deals as well as store hours.
