| Thursday, September 09, 2010 | SUBSCRIBE | COMMUNITY LINKS | ADVERTISING INFO | TO REACH US |
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Upon entering the boutique, you'll find a new, vintage inspired section as well as true vintage in the back. The vintage selection is loaded with wearable vintage. Cotton dresses ranging from the 50s to the 80s, vintage T-shirts, racks of denim and men's shirts and an entire wall of lovingly worn in boots. The customers are just as varied - women in their 50s shop comfortably alongside hipsters and teens. There's something in store for all of them. Ruiz specialized in dead stock collectible denim and was very successful with the Japanese market in his early years. When it became harder to acquire dead stock denim and 1980s footwear from London in the 90s, he decided to broaden his picking skills and began to hunt for wearable vintage. Melrose Vintage carries an assortment of women's and men's vintage clothing. The inventory consists of wearable, desirable vintage clothing at very affordable prices. I was stunned to see vintage day dresses with price tags starting at $14.99. In fact, most of the dresses range from $14.99 to $19.99. Members Only jackets are priced at $24.99 and Pendelton brand shirts at $18.99, prices Ruiz claims are the lowest in town. "I live in the '80s when it comes to vintage pricing," said Ruiz. He explained that his customers don't care if there is some damage on the vintage inventory. Melrose Vintage customers are looking for great style at great bargains. His more expensive, choice selections are stored in the back for his Japanese and collector clientele. Ruiz manages to keep his prices so low because he buys and sells in volume. Employees search mountains of clothing stored in rag warehouses for the perfect pieces for Melrose Vintage. After 20 years of digging, picking, and searching, Robert still loves the thrill of the hunt. Melrose Vintage is getting ready to move to a new location - right across the street. Ruiz has had four locations in the store's lifetime, all of them inWhittier since 1992. Ruiz has had some trouble with the City. He has struggled, he said, trying to convince the City Council that his vintage clothing shop is not a thrift store. The City Council has questioned whether a vintage clothing store is the right kind of business for historic Greenleaf. This has led to Ruiz changing the name of the new venue to Melrose Company.  The well-staged and well-lit storefront on Greenleaf Avenue. Regardless of changing markets and addresses, Robert Ruiz has vowed to bring Whittier the best wearable vintage clothing selection in town. You can visit Melrose Vintage at 6734 Greenleaf Ave, Whittier, CA. (562) 907-5518. |
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