Nostalgia opened its doors on October 19, right off South Street at the former site of Passional in Queen Village. The boutique could be easily mistaken as just another high-end consignment shop, but owners Rafael Rosado, Arielle Salkowitz and Danielle DiRosa position Nostalgia as an dynamic retail experience.
"Our idea was to bring back classic Americana style and mix it with quality accessories," says Salkowitz. "We wanted to create a lifestyle store that brings back positive memories."
The trio cultivates Nostalgia's brand through a combination of vintage items and contemporary American-made clothing. Salkowitz's own line of 1950s-inspired rockabilly gear, Earl Salko, is sold along with infinity scarves by DiRosa and original pieces from other local designers. Rosado's curated vintage collection includes a 1960s-era elementary school desk and a large selection of vintage eyewear.
Although Nostalgia's vintage wares are most prominently displayed in its display window, Earl Salko is the store's X-factor. Salkowitz created the line after graduating from Philadelphia University in 2011. Her inspiration for the collection was 1940s motorcycle clothing. The line includes pants, jackets and dresses riffing on 1950s circle skirt dresses (a perfect match for those denim jackets).
Salkowitz sews much of Earl Salko's collection by hand; the denim items are manufactured at a factory in Kensington. Until Nostalgia opened in October, she primarily sold items through Etsy and at local markets, including last summer's
Brooklyn Flea at the Piazza.
As Rosado assisted Salkowitz at vending opportunities over the last two years, he began building his vintage collection. All the pieces gelled in September when DiRosa spotted the vacancy left by Passional.
"The store is in a great location, so we knew it was a great opportunity," says Salkowitz. "The area gets a lot of foot traffic and you can see the storefront when you round the corner from 3rd street onto Bainbridge. We all wanted to stay in South Philly, and Queen Village is a great area."
The team signed the lease in late September, and managed to open Nostalgia in three weeks. The store's design complements the inventory: the shelving, clothing racks and furniture are all repurposed, including a large showcase made from an antique gun display Rosado found on Craigslist.
Nostalgia, 704 S. 5th St., Philadelphia
Writer: Nicole Woods
Source: Arielle Salkowitz, Nostalgia