Style and Substance: Vacancy does it all.
Salo Gendreaux Reporting:
Just off East Burnside, half a mile from the Willamette river, an unassuming storefront is nestled between a sandwich place and a barber shop. Murals in progress color the edifice a muddy salmon-red reminiscent of adobe walls. A neon sign in a high window flashes "VACANCY". I sat down with owner Nate Blomquist to learn more about the unique business.
Nate tells me Vacancy PDX is much more than a clothing retailer. They host concerts and block parties. They display works from local artists. Every inch of the space is crowded with collections from local clothing vendors, art, and vintage AV equipment. It's also home to owner Nate Blomquist's very own Common Apparel brand.
Nate's roots are in the skate and snowboard apparel industry in Minnesota. At the age of 18, what began as a class assignment to conduct market research quickly became its own business, complete with customers and collaborators. The research revealed that Common Apparel was the name that satisfied their demographic most, and with a brand name in place the class project had become a fully realized business.
His love for skate culture led him into organizer roles, creating event spaces, and even making an underground skate bowl in Duluth MN, giving the skate community a place to gather. Nate's intimate knowledge of the skate scene (he’s been a skate coach and videographer for Seek Skate Camp, previously called Windell’s Skate) led him to design skate, snow and street wear specially designed to improve upon existing options on the market. Nate says he's previously had his products available at Zumies, and has even made merch for Lizzo, adding to an already impressive resume. Despite all the interest from larger forces, his focus is on the designers and brands that surround him, helping fledgeling retailers reach market. Nate tells me about Flower Branch Manufacturing, the brand under which Common Apparel exists, which provides consultation and one-stop-shop assistance for startup brands, offering a chance “to avoid 3 or 4 years of mistakes”, according to Nate.
Nate shares that Vacancy has been a project of phases, five to be exact, that one by one have been rolled out in succession. Phases 1 and 2 revolved around renovating the space, and finding a first group of vendors to fill the store. They are currently on phase 3, which includes planning events, working with more makers and creatives, and offering their new in house styling services. They offer consultations that give you the opportunity to try on a selection of clothes and accessories catering to your tastes. Appointments can be made at Vacancypdx.com where you can provide your sizes and measurements to get a perfect fit. They’ll even tailor anything you want.
Nate wants to create a unique brick-and-mortar retail experience (not to mention direct to consumer online options coming in 2024) that offers more than one expects. Vacancy is oriented towards entertaining customers and collaborators with engaging events, and a welcoming vibe that asks you to come chill on the couch and play video games. The space has been renovated to include a small stage, a lounge area (with an original NES gaming system), a refreshments bar, and a dance floor, despite also being full service retail.
In the future, Nate hopes for Vacancy to thrive as it collects collaborators, vendors, artists, makers, and customers alike. Whether you are just out for a stroll and feel like browsing through some interesting stuff, or you want to have an in-depth conversation about art, business and community (like I just did), Vacancy will be there to make sure you do it while looking very, very cool.
Editor in Chief Salo Gendreaux
