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By : Liam Leonard-Solis
5 min read
Walking into High Energy Vintage is like stepping through a portal to the past.
A neon green Mr Do. Arcade game features prominently in the middle of the shop, flanked by saddle shoes and cowboy boots; Leather jackets and cyan windbreakers wait for their wearer in the rack behind; flannels and florals drape down from the walls over rows of vinyl records. Playstation and Sega games stacked below wires of controllers and consoles; an impressive VHS collection can be found in the back room, stocked with classics such as ‘Network’, ‘The Neverending Story’, and ‘Monsters Inc.’ With its eclectic vibes and aesthetic, the store and its staff seek to embody the ‘high energy’ of the uptempo, bright and bold, synth driven 1980s.
Everything is sourced from a myriad of times and places: from area open markets, vintage warehouses, and estate sales; from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. All items are cleaned, repaired, and tailored in house.
The immense care with which the staff takes to find and sell quality clothing is a core part of their fashion philosophy. Modern mass production renders clothes brittle and expendable; there is a real hunger in the here and now for affordable clothes from the past that are built to last and made with love. High Energy Vintage promises to provide just that, and more.
Check ‘em out! 429 Somerville Ave, Somerville. Open after 12 pm each day (except for Tuesdays). Beyond brick and mortar, check out their instagram– @highenergyvintage and website www.highenergyvintage.com
—Liam Leonard-Solis
Originally published in-print in Boston Compass Newspaper #148 July 2022
Check out all the art and columns of July's Boston Compass at www.issuu.com/bostoncccompass