From Vintage Transactions at the UGLI to a Storefront on State Street, University Vintage Is Not Your Average Tailgate Gear
By: Frankie Smith
There is one thing that makes gameday at the University of Michigan that much more special: vintage tailgate gear. Ann Arbor’s very own, University Vintage, is your one-stop shop for all things U of M. On a Thursday afternoon after class, I made my way to the newly opened storefront to sit down with the founders of University Vintage and hear about their journey from online retail to State Street.
Originally starting on Facebook Marketplace and eventually making its way to an online Instagram shop, the brand was founded in 2018 by Shane Perlin. Shane was a sophomore at U of M with a passion for second-hand shopping, styling, and fashion. He recalls finding unique vintage tailgate gear and Michigan merch at local thrift stores, seeing major untapped potential. He initially sold these pieces to friends and strangers–the transactions taking place at the Shapiro Undergraduate Library. After realizing that the vintage market was growing, he took to apps such as Depop and Mercari to sell his finds.
Shane then got his brother, Jared Perlin, involved. Jared went to rival school, Michigan State University, and during the COVID-19 lockdown, he started the Michigan State branch of University Vintage. Together, the brothers grew the brand from the ground up, hosting pop-up shops, giveaways, and even partnering with the MSU football team.
The brothers are no strangers to fashion and thrift shopping. They discussed how they feel as though they have been in the fashion space since they were little, growing up thrifting and finding unique items. Running to the sports jersey section when they were kids, their love for thrifting continued into high school, where Shane recalled going with his friends after school and on weekends.
The Storefront
Most recently, the brothers expanded to a physical storefront on State Street–an exciting development for all the fashion lovers and vintage enthusiasts at U of M. Shane and Jared reported that the project took 8-9 months, with the original thought coming up in November last year. Between stocking more inventory, finding decorations, scouting an open space, and dealing with all of the inner workings of starting a business, the brothers have been very busy this past year creating their dream storefront.
Although the brothers single-handedly run the website and social media accounts, they have two employees who help them out. This team is constantly creating content, sharing, sourcing inventory, understanding consumer behavior, and working in-store daily.
As for their biggest challenge, Shane expressed that curating the right inventory is difficult, especially when buying second-hand items since they must thoroughly check for stains, rips, and other imperfections before selling. They specifically look for high-quality, unique pieces, which are hard to find in an age of fast fashion where clothes are seemingly disposable.
Additionally, it's hard to keep up their standard of inventory, especially in stores– for which they aim to have about 150-250 pieces at all times. They also strive to maintain a fair price point for their customers, an aspect that keeps many consumers coming back for more.
Moreover, they noted that weekly thrift store runs, estate sales, and eBay are their go-to stops. They also utilize the expansive vintage community in Michigan, many of whom will find items for them, earning commissions and acting as suppliers. They additionally offer a “buy-sell” option in-store so people from the Michigan community can give their gear a new life.
A Behind The Scenes Look at Shane and Jared’s Favorite Finds
During our interview, Shane recalled a story of going to a local estate sale and finding his most prized possession: a hand-sewn University of Michigan bomber jacket. The jacket is one-of-a-kind and extremely unique, making it priceless to the brothers.
Shane remarked that he loves finding anything made before the 80s, such as one orange 1976 crewneck in his personal collection. He also loves a particular denim printed jacket, which is featured on their Instagram. Jared’s favorite find has been a vintage Mickey Mouse puffer jacket. The brothers also enjoy searching for Fab 5 merchandise, a basketball recruiting class that many label the greatest of all time, as very little of it was ever made in their two years of fame.
Their Mission
Shane and Jared report getting frequently asked why they don’t create their own products. While they would love to, they express concern about doing it in a sustainable way. In a way, Shane stated that he feels as if that defeats the purpose of their mission: to repurpose clothes and give them new homes. This ties back to wanting to reduce textile waste and mitigate the harmful effects of fast fashion. Shane explained, “There are a lot of cool products out there, people want to express themselves on game day or not on game day.”
Within their storefront, almost every “disposable” item is repurposed. This includes repurposing paper from previous packages or reusing boxes and envelopes to ship out online orders. They also utilize reusable tote bags for in-store purchases. (@university_vintage on Instagram)
Community Involvement and Future Plans
University Vintage has partnered with some campus organizations and even has donated to their events. Before their storefront, they also did pop-up shops. However, they are looking for partnerships that are cohesive with their brand, whether it be other businesses or university-related organizations.
The brothers expressed their gratitude for all the communal support they have received. On behalf of him and his brother, Shane graciously stated that they are, “very thankful for the people who supported us then and who support us now.” In their opinion, they stated that one of the best parts of the job has been getting to know their customers, having conversations, seeing what people purchase, and learning about the community every day. Shane revealed that “it takes an army to be here.”
They have also loved seeing how the vintage community has changed over the years. As more and more people shop second-hand, they remarked, vintage and thrifted clothing has become much more appreciated. The brothers love that aspect of their business: a constant state of evolution in fashion.
As for new developments and future plans, Shane and Jared are launching another branch of their business: a vintage and second-hand line unrelated to U of M and Michigan State. This means everyday, cool, one-of-a-kind fashion that can be worn anytime, anywhere. For anyone looking to add some new pieces to your collection, Shane and Jared have you covered.
