Don’t be confused by the name, midstaters: Pennsylvania has not legalized the goofy green. Stash is the newly minted name for a vintage boutique store co-owned and operated by four city residents: Anela Bence Selkowitz, Jessica Flynn, Haley Harned and Jen Merill.
You might recognize these women from their day jobs as photographer/events promoter of Studio A, spunky and agreeable barista of Little Amps, craft all-star and freelance journalist, respectively – and now they’ve combined their artistic passions to galvanize their love of second-hand attire. Spawned out of a conversation to begin a multi-level food/clothing co-op, they settled on part of the dream, Stash.
The store is a discussion of its own. Owned by Bill Andring, whose law practice once occupied the space, both the exterior and interior seem serendipitously suited for the Stash girls’ concept. Situated on the corner of Green and North, the storefront is defined by its black columns and large, oval windows with a wainscoated skirt of light blue panels outlaid by golden pinecones.
Flynn said they all walked and gathered at the Green Street location, marveling at this corner building, only to find that they were at the wrong place. The prospective landlord was up a few doors waving them down to a row house they ultimately decided against. Fortunately, the first floor of the 234 Green St. was tenant-less, and Andring was happy to lease them his former office.
Inside, as they prep the interior, Merrill points out that almost all the accoutrements are “sustainable and upcycled. The driftwood was gathered by Anela to make the clothing stands, and the bookcases were bought at auction,” so the ethos of recycling will be all encompassing. For the interview, they all sat on top of a recently purchased second-hand carpet.
When asked who their target market is, Flynn answers, “everyone,” and Bence Selkowitz says, “we hope to attract the vintage lovers as well as 50-year-olds,” before Harned adds, “and the 12-year-olds as well.” Their ambitious and synchronized goals are butting up against conventional wisdom that says clothing storefronts are a dying breed, much like the print publication you are reading. But Merrill sees the Etsy online model as overhyped and senses that people in this area are ready for a shop like this.
Situated in between the thriving, upscale restaurant operations of Home 231 and Mangia Qui, a stone’s throw from the Capitol complex and positioning themselves as a 3rd in The Burg destination, Merrill can at least justify the “location, location, location” mantra. Just as important, however, they will sell their clothing at a generous and democratic price point.
“The bulk of the items will be less than $50,” says Harned, “and most dresses will only cost between $20 to $30,” says Selkowitz. While they’ve decided against consigning, at first, they will offer men’s, women’s and children’s clothing along with some specialty items like furniture and accessories.
“This will be a clean operation, everything will be steamed and sanitized,” says Harned, so you won’t need to dig through racks and racks (i.e. thrift store style).
The paradigm of fashionable/vintage stores is evident in places like A Passage in Time located in Lancaster and various boutique joints in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore. What Bence Selkowitz and cohorts realize is, unlike those stores, they have to avoid price gouging, so they can cater to their market while Harrisburg can add to its growing compilation of valuable (and hip) entities in the Midtown and Uptown neighborhoods. The next evolution can be found in places like Stash.
Stash is at 234 Green St., Harrisburg. Hours are Wednesday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
