Just a short walk from campus, along The Avenue in Hampden, there exists a vintage shopping mecca known as Galvanize. This isn't just your everyday thrift store; this is a store filled with amazing relics from yesteryear mixed in with interesting stories from the owner.
Opened in 1996 by Joelle Kutsiukis, the shop quickly grew into a Hampden institution. It has everything any vintage lover could ever ask for, including jeans from all eras and in all sizes. Or there is the diverse collection of hats ranging from crabs to bowlers from the 20s, all priced at $5. But perhaps even better than the actual clothing is the information the different visitors who have browsed through Galvanize over the years.
Kutsiukis' favorite story about Galvanize is the time when Julia Roberts stopped by the store. "She came in here while filming Runaway Bride. The movie had been filming outside the store before she came," said Kutsiukis. "She was wearing a pair of old jeans and an old top when she came in. I didn't even recognize her until she started talking. She went through some of the clothes, earmarked some stuff, and then had her assistant come by later to pick it up." Other costars from the movie, such as Richard Gere, also visited the store in order to buy clothes as well.
Clothes from Galvanize appear in other movies besides Runaway Bride. Costume designers have approached Kutsiukis about using clothes from the store in their productions. One movie to include clothes from Galvanize was Girl, Interrupted. When filming ended for Girl, Interrupted, the costume designers gave back the vintage clothes, as well as other bought clothes that were no longer needed. So, that shirt a costumer is eyeing on the corner rack may have previously appeared in a movie.
Although the clothes themselves are well-selected pieces, they're not the only interesting thing around the store. The decorations throughout the store all have interesting histories. Many of them were once movie or television props for movies such as John Waters' Pecker and television shows like Baltimore-based Homicide: Life on the Street.
"I really enjoy anything with the entertainment world," said Kutsiukis. Set and costume designers tend to like Galvanize as well, as evidenced by the invitations Kutsiukis has received for yard sales held for movie props or set pieces.
As much as Kutsiukis has a passion for vintage, she hasn't always been involved with selling vintage clothing. Before opening up Galvanize, she worked as a waitress for over 20 years around Baltimore. However, Kutsiukis always loved vintage clothes and thrift shore shopping.
"My mother got me started on thrift shores when I was four because we would go shopping at the four consignment shops in our neighborhood," said Kutsiukis. "When I started going to school, there were two shops on my way to school that I would stop in after school. I've just kept shopping throughout my entire life."
Later on, as an adult, Kutsiukis loved clothes she found in thrift stores, but wasn't able to do anything with them when they couldn't fit her.
Finally, she decided to open up a small store within another, larger store. After a year, the larger store left the location, so Kutsiukis took over the lease and opened up Galvanize on a large scale. "It's always been more than a career for me. It's been fun, which is more important," said Kutsiukis.
Living several blocks away from Galvanize has also been a nice perk for Kutsiukis. Because of the proximity, it's always been easy to go to work.
Even when it snows, Kutsiukis manages to make it to the store. One winter, after a snowstorm, she got her new merchandise to the store on a sled.
She also really has gotten to know her customers well. "I've watched some of my customers go through junior high school all the way through college and then get married," she said. "Occasionally some of my customers will pop by to let me know how they're doing."
Up until recently, Galvanize was located at 927 36th St. in a two-story building. However, the building was sold, forcing Kutsiukis to reopen Galvanize inside David's Consignment Store (914 36th St.). But the move is temporary; Kutsiukis plans on retiring at the end of November. Although Kutsiukis will no longer run her own store, she'll still be involved with wholesale, such as selling clothes to different venues.
Besides losing Galvanize, Kutsiukis predicts that The Avenue might change drastically over the next few years. Many of the fun, eclectic small shops might be replaced by bigger chains. One such example is Hampden's Salvation Army, which had to leave after 35 years of business due to increasing rent for the store's location.
Retail owners and Hampden aficionados fear for the neighborhood's independence if major chain stores begin to squeeze out smaller mom and pop shops.
"Right now, people love to come to Hampden. But, with the new changes, it'll hurt the small retail end of the shops," said Kutsiukis.
Despite the closing of Galvanize, Kutsiukis is not stopping her interest. She said, "I'll be looking around for different, interesting areas."
