Jeremy Shapiro wanted to open a store that specialized in the bright, fun sportswear that was the rage when he was in high school. Last May the Los Angeles native opened &Still Clothing (And Still.) “I was wearing all of this,” said Shapiro of the 1990-1994 gear which illuminated his high school years in New Jersey. “All of it.”
You can find &Still on a stretch of La Brea Avenue that features Undefeated, Union and Stussy -- all titans of urban hip with global influence. With &Still’s addition, and success, there’s no doubt this is that ground zero. Shapiro’s right when he said “this block is money.”
LAist checked in with Shapiro to see how his rather specialized clothing business is doing during the recession. He also tells us who has been coming into his store, which features a boxing ring in the middle of it.
LAist: How’s business?
Jeremy Shapiro: Business is good. I finally feel like people are starting to get the store. When I first opened I didn’t know what sort of items people were into either. Now I’ve got it down.
When I first opened our prices were super high. It was tough knowing what to price a Michael Jordan t-shirt that’s unworn and fifteen years old. The prices are now at the point where they’re a lot lower. Older, unused Charles Barkley t-shirts are only $30-$40. That's the price of a normal shirt.
How has the recession affected you guys?
The money most people are going to spend on clothing is for the clothes they’re going to wear out at night or to work. That’s a customer I don’t have. That’s where the economy effects this store. We’ve also put up a sale rack with vintage t-shirts for $5 because people are watching their money.
What are people buying right now?
People are buying hats like crazy -- the snap-back hats, which are adjustable fit. The cartoon stuff does real well too. I get a lot of high school kids and they love Space Jam. Anytime I get anything Space Jam it’s gone.
...and still heavyweight champion...
Where do you get all this great stuff?
I’ve now got a lot of different suppliers. They’ve got major product that’s clean and unworn. A lot of people come off the street asking do you buy. The answer’s always no, even if it’s unworn. I don’t want to be Buffalo Exchange.
This block must bring in some interesting customers.
The block brings in a lot of musicians and actors. At this point it’s a daily thing. I get a lot of designers too. A lot of big name companies are coming in looking for pieces that inspire them. Japanese businesses are coming in too. They’re reselling a lot of our stuff over there.
What’s the most expensive thing in the store?
We’ve got some Run DMC samples that were never released that’ll go for about $1,000. There were probably only three or four produced back in the day.
What’s next?
We’re launching an online store in a few weeks. And we’re putting out our own brand And Still Clothing. Look for in-store musical performances too.
&Still Clothing
114 S. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles (Just below First Street)
(323) 937-0016
Mon - Sat 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Sun 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Photos by Caleb Bacon for LAist
