chestnut fieldI became independent in 2011, so this year will be my eighth year. After quitting, I started working as a freelance buyer, but from the beginning, I wasn't that aggressive about opening a store because I didn't really want to do so.

chestnut fieldWe were approached by Eagles Nest Yokohama to open a new store just as we were opening a new showroom for wholesalers. At first, however, I turned it down because I thought it would be difficult to start two new businesses at the same time. However, I was told, "Please come take a look at the property and you will definitely change your mind," so I did. I came to see the property and found it to be very interesting.

chestnut fieldYes, I had a vague idea of opening a store someday, but to be honest, I didn't think much about it. After I became independent, my seniors and friends introduced me to new business partners and good office properties, and I was even given jobs. I decided on this restaurant because I felt such a connection with the people around me.

chestnut fieldI did have some concerns about accessibility, but over the past few years, I have been hearing a lot about people my age who have started families and moved from Tokyo to Yokohama, Kamakura, Kawasaki, and other areas in Kanagawa Prefecture. I thought this location might not be so bad, considering that such people might also drive here. And the location with a panoramic view of the city of Yokohama was great, too.

chestnut fieldAcross the street from Eagle's Nest used to be a residential area for the U.S. military. Even now, after the withdrawal of the U.S. military, there seems to be no prospect for redevelopment due to the problem of the mixture of state-owned and privately-owned land, but if this area is sold or leased as residential or commercial properties like Johnson Town in Iruma, people who love America will gather here. If a large commercial facility were to be built, I think it would be interesting to see how lively it would be. The street in front of the building still has a sign that reads "Mayflower St." and there are still traces of it today.

chestnut fieldYes, it is. I also think this inconvenient location is interesting in its own way. I can't speak too highly of myself since I sell my products over the Internet, but I think that the true pleasure of buying secondhand clothing is to go to the store and see the actual items in person. The building itself is cool, and there are restaurants and other stores as well. I think it is a good place to come and have fun on holidays because it is filled with all kinds of fun. There was something about this place that attracted me, something that overrode the inconvenience of traffic. I myself had no connection or familiarity with Yokohama itself (laughs).

chestnut fieldThanks to the development of social networking services, it is now possible to run a secondhand clothing business without a physical store. Customers can shop easily, and I think that is an appealing point. But on the other hand, there are definitely things that can only be experienced in a store. I would like to be there to serve customers as much as possible, and tell them the stories of the items and the purchasing process.

chestnut fieldEven though I am a vintage dealer, I have had opportunities to sell my products face to face to customers through pop-up stores and events in the past, so there is not much change in my personal feelings about opening a new store this time.

chestnut fieldI was just asked by people I knew from my "Lost Hills" days to help out. It just so happened that when I became independent, I chose to be a freelance buyer rather than a store buyer. If I had started my own store early on, I don't think I would have received such an offer.

chestnut fieldThat is what fate is all about, isn't it? As I mentioned earlier, I never approached them on my own, but was always fortunate enough to be asked. I am grateful for the connections I have made with other people, which have allowed me to do what I do. I would like to continue to cherish these relationships and connections.

chestnut fieldI go to the U.S. for a month and a half at a time to buy, and while I purchase about 200 to 300 packets of goods, I put only what I like in the store, so I think it is a reasonable amount. Whether it is clothing or general merchandise, I try to put a wide range of good items, regardless of age or category.

chestnut fieldNow I spend about half of the year, or less than 180 days, buying in the United States. Perhaps that kind of atmosphere is being conveyed to the store as well.

chestnut fieldNothing in particular. At each purchase, I arrange good items that I can buy at that time and items that I like. What I like changes to some extent, so I think of it in a rather fluid way. In other words, the store is always evolving.

chestnut fieldI think the ideal is to "sell ordinary products at ordinary prices. Nowadays, the purchase price in the U.S. has become higher, so it has become more difficult to set prices, but I would like to keep it that way. To be honest, I don't have a specific idea of what I want my vintage clothing store to be like. If I had to say, I would say that I want the store to be ordinary, in the best sense of the word.

chestnut fieldRather than collecting and displaying only vintage items, I would like to display mainly items that can be worn normally and that can be enjoyed as a fashion item. Of course, a store with a full lineup of special items would be great, and it would be very difficult to stock and sell them, but as for my position, I would like to sell items that I personally think are interesting and good, regardless of whether they are new or old.

chestnut fieldThis is a dead stock of an official item released in the 90s. The person who made these had a large amount of stock, which we bought in bulk. There were about 90 pieces in total. The one that is still in stores today is James Dean at 18,000 yen, and the others at 15,000 yen. If only a small amount had been found, I honestly think I would have paid a little more (laughs).

chestnut fieldSpace in the store is limited, so we have a certain amount of carefully selected items on display. The Sarasa-patterned "Glissade" is dead stock and costs 35,000 yen, and the Blue Water is 35,000 yen. Both were luckily found at thrift stores. Recently, "classic retro cardigans" are popular not only in Japan but also in the U.S., but "Glissade" has always been stable and popular. Even in the U.S., old "Snap T's", especially the patterned ones, have become popular in the last few years and the price has gone up, so now might be a good time to buy one.

chestnut fieldReverse weaves" are very popular in the U.S., and even made in the U.S. in the 1990s are really hard to find. Nowadays, it is very difficult to purchase these items even from dealers. We have three colors available. The charcoal gray one is especially rare.

chestnut fieldAs for chambray shirts, you really can't find more than you think you can, and if you limit yourself to pre-70's, 1001 TP10T cotton shirts, you won't find more than two digits a year. Even 519 corduroy shirts can only be collected in a month and a half of purchasing. What used to be commonplace is disappearing rapidly.

chestnut fieldI guess it is since we started to focus on buying in the Southwest, such as Arizona and New Mexico, where many Native Americans live. We now have more opportunities to buy not only Navajo and Chimayo rugs and accessories, but also Ralph's native wear and other items. It is interesting that each region in the U.S. has different items. There are clothes that are properly rooted in the region and culture.

chestnut fieldThe area I am currently touring is in six states, which is about the lower left quarter of the U.S. mainland. LA, of course, is the Mecca of vintage clothing, and many different genres of clothing are gathered from all over the United States. It is interesting to note that Levi's is strong from California to Arizona and New Mexico, and Wrangler is overwhelmingly popular in Texas. Also, in any state, high elevation areas and towns that attract many tourists for winter sports will produce outdoor items, and where there were mines in the past, you can expect to see workwear. In Texas, which has a strong cowboy image, you will still find a lot of ranchwear and related workwear.

chestnut fieldThrifts are of course the main source of goods I buy, but I have dealers in most of the cities I visit, so I have to make regular visits to them. I have to visit them regularly, especially the dealers who keep products for me. So it is difficult for me to change or increase the number of areas I visit. However, unlike thrifts, I am able to secure a certain amount of sales, which is one of my strengths. Thrifts give you a chance to buy things at a discount, but it's a risky business because it's all about luck. Recently, I have been competing not only with Japanese buyers in the same industry, but also with local buyers.

chestnut fieldWe plan to be flexible there. Immediately after the purchase, we are planning to rent the common space in front of the store and hold a large scale arrival event every time. We will let people see the fresh items here first. After that, we will distribute the items between the store and the showroom.

chestnut fieldThe ability to do so is one of the reasons we chose this box. In the city center, it's hard to find a location where you can use such a spacious space. It may be because I am getting older, but I think this location away from the hustle and bustle is just right for people to buy used clothes while taking their time to examine them.

chestnut fieldI would say something made of different materials. For example, the red coveralls I am wearing today. These were made by "Double Wear" in the late 60's to early 70's. Other examples are the color-based coveralls made by "D.C.". Other examples are the color-based coveralls by "DC. Personally, I like things with a twist in the material or a change in color rather than the high street. In an era when the Ivy League and hippies were on the rise, I find it interesting that they dared to take a fashionable approach to workwear.

chestnut fieldOf course, at first I was into old-fashioned clothes, starting with denim, flight jackets, and other old-fashioned, high street items, and in my teens I would dress up to several hundred thousand dollars for my entire outfit. But as I got older, my horizons broadened. For example, designers and select shoppers use new clothes as a base while incorporating secondhand clothes. In my case, I wear new clothes on top of old clothes. It's just that my position is different, and I enjoy both old and new clothes in the same way.

chestnut fieldThis is especially true in the last few years. In the past, I used to be very particular about the degree of originality, but now, even if a zipper has been changed, it may look better, and I have come to see repairs and damage as part of the charm of age. We are no longer bound by old-fashioned rules such as how to wear clothes or what items to match with them. Of course, that alone is not enough to convince me as a vintage clothing store, so I have to acquire solid knowledge.

chestnut fieldAnyway, right now, I'm really occupied with this store. I can't think about the future (laughs). But if the number of customers increases, it would be interesting to invite people from all walks of life to use the shared space for events or flea markets, etc.