The New Shop--Division Street

‘The New Shop’ Sheffield has quite a reputation for being home to a treasure trove of vintage shops. Last month saw the opening of The New Shop, a new store on the scene, located along Division Street, where Gstar Raw once stood. The New Shop has no affiliation with the vintage shop which had recently closed next door, ‘It’s not vintage it’s second hand’, and is undoubtedly very different from it. A bare warehouse this is not, there is no need to browse through rack upon rack of garish dresses from the 80s in order to find something that wouldn’t look completely bizarre. Nope, the shopping experience at The New Shop is quite the contrary. The shop is filled with handpicked garments, that are both unique yet wearable..and best of all, cheap! Although the owner, Paul, is new to the vintage scene, he says that buying second hand clothes is ‘exciting’ and ultimately something which has longevity, despite disputes that the scene is in decline.



However I’m curious as to where they have sourced their products from. ‘We handpick garments from large warehouses, some people only buy in bulk. We also import products from America’, he explains. Supportive of Sheffield’s independent designers, he says, ‘We’ve also got a boutique selection of remade and customised vintage. Hence why we are called the ‘new’ shop: we’re reproducing clothes into something new’ As I browse the racks of the designer section, it occurs to me that it is hardly a far cry from Urban Outfitter’s ‘Renewal’ collection of DIY vintage, but half of the price. The turnaround of stock and acquiring new collections of vintage is key. Merchandising is essential within fashion stores in order to keep up appearances and this is something The New Shop does with the help of a fashion student employee. The look of the shop is simple yet clean and easy to browse. Meanwhile, stock is clearly priced; a refreshing change compared to a lot of other vintage stores, and definitely a plus if haggling isn’t your forte. Whilst some vintage stores don a ‘jumble’ sale feel, The New Shop is ordered and hassle free.

 The wearability of the clothes is a major distinction which sets the shop aside from competition. Wardrobe staples such as military coats, leather jackets, denim cutoffs and kitsch t-shirts line the racks neatly. So do you they pay any attention to current trends when picking stock? ‘Not really, we’re influenced by vintage fashion and I think that the Rock and Indie scene is a big influence in terms of the kind of garments we buy, and the customers we attract. The fact that we sell new designers sets us apart, we’re contributing to the scene as opposed to some other stores.’ With vintage fashion becoming more and more prominent, The New Shop exemplifies what the modern second hand shop should be: cheap, clean with an interesting collection of garments. With helpful staff, shopping is hardly the intimidating struggle that vintage has a reputation for. Through supporting the cyclical form of its own industry, helping promote both old and new brands, the shop will undoubtedly be a success.

By Kate Cheesmond