For the past few months, the corner of Farwell and Irving boasted three very important C’s: coffee, cocktails and CDs. Soon, Lacy Landre will offer a fashionable fourth: clothing.
Landre -- a 24-year-old Riverwesterner who recently graduated from UWM with a degree in photography -- is in the final construction stages of A-Hem Clothing Company, a vintage clothing boutique and gallery. She plans to open the shop, next door to Comet Café and Bull's Eye Records, in late September or early October.
A-Hem will offer primarily men’s and women’s clothing from the 1940s through the 1980s. It will also feature select children’s clothing, locally designed wearables, accessories, jewelry and original artwork.
"My store will be similar to the other vintage shops in the area, but I want to take a unique spin on it and try to combine the retail environment with a clean, sophisticated gallery setting," says Landre.
Although she likes many of Milwaukee’s vintage shops, Landre has her own vision. "My personal style is pretty simple. 'Vintage' to me doesn't have to mean fluorescent, psychedelic colors and over-the-top fashions," she says. "I think plain is very sexy."
A-Hem will hawk a vast array of Halloween costumes, and request forms for particular items will be available as soon as the shop opens.
"I should have a fully-stocked inventory of potential costumes, candy and ridiculous wigs. Partygoers should start thinking about their costumes now, so I can keep my eye out for certain things," she says.
Landre says she grew up going thrift-store shopping with her mom, and wanted to open her own clothing shop since middle school. She started collecting vintage clothing at a young age, but when she moved to Milwaukee six years ago, sold most of her collection to Yellow Jacket, 2225 N. Humboldt Ave. (Yellow Jacket will soon move to Brady Street.)
Landre’s older brother, Tom, opened Jackpot, a vintage shop at 825 E. Center St., about 10 years ago. The shop has since changed hands a few times, and is currently owned by Orlando Bellamy and Kevin Pipkorn.
"I think Jackpot planted some ideas in my impressionable, 14-year-old mind. I think Tom sold me the dress I wore to prom, actually. It was purple," she says.
Landre is A-Hem’s sole proprietor, and admits it's a lot of work for one person. She says having handy friends has made all the difference, and that her business loan through the Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation allowed her to seal the deal.
"There's no way I would have been able to afford something like this on my own," says Landre, who serves at the Hi-Hat, 1701 N. Arlington Pl., and bartends at the Foundation, 2718 N. Bremen St.
As a cost-conscious person, Landre plans to keep prices affordable, and will offer an ongoing 10 percent discount to students.
Landre feels Milwaukee is a great fit for her venture, and believes Milwaukeeans are very fashion and cost conscious.
"It’s not like we're living in New York or Los Angeles where the scene is much more saturated," she says. "We can still look great without having to spend half of our paychecks on new clothing."
A-Hem Clothing Company will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
