A couple of weeks ago I went thrifting with one of the most stylish guys in Saskatoon, Devon Hanofski. Whether it’s his signature bucket hat, a vintage Ralph Lauren sweater, a floral print button up or a pair of loafers, Devon always looks effortlessly cool. His love for quality vintage has inspired him to create a pop up store in Luna and Hill next month that will sell an eclectic mix of vintage clothing, blankets and grooming products.  Our mission for the day was to see how Devon finds the best vintage pieces in town.

Upon arrival at Value Village, Devon bee-lined for the button ups, methodically scanning the racks feeling the material, looking at tags and generally picking out timeless and classic pieces. As he moved from section to section, I realized how well curated his pop up shop is going to be. If something didn’t fit his criteria exactly it was a ‘no.’ Devon spent about two hours combing every inch of the store until there was nothing left to find. With a few items in tow and a day well spent, I asked him some questions about his love for vintage and his up coming Fillmore Vintage pop-up shop:

You always seem to be wearing at least one vintage piece. What attracts you to vintage?

I wear vintage for many reasons. The hunt alone is a big one. Finding something rare at a 100^th of the cost can be pretty rewarding. Owning something unique in a city of limited options and having a strong love for all things old are also drivers.

What are your top three favorite vintage pieces you own? Your crown jewels if you will.

Picking 3 is too difficult! I will give you one! I acquired a limited edition Ducks Unlimited Barbour jacket a few years ago that I am still very happy about. I contacted Barbour and it turns out they only produced a 1000 of them.

What are some of your favorite labels to see at a thrift shop?

I love seeing the classics like Woolrich, Pendleton, Levi’s, Lee, Redwing, L.L. Bean, and so on. All the outdoors/work wear stuff is great. I have a pretty nasty Polo by Ralph Lauren addiction as well.

I know you definitely pay attention to detail when you’re thrifting. What are some details that you look for to ensure that you’re buying a quality piece?

You can tell by the fabric first and foremost. Then I check the tag, and if I get excited enough about it I do a run down to see if everything is intact. It’s important to know the brands and fabrics even if you don’t necessarily care about either.I have seen some Wal-Mart button-ups go for more than a heavy wool jacket made by a mill that has been around for over a century.

What’s one item that has eluded you over the years?

There are certain brands that are virtually impossible to find in Saskatoon thrift stores simply because no retailer carries them in the city. There are no Barbour retailers here, thus the chances of them being handed over to a Salvation Army here are pretty slim. I am always on the lookout for some classic Redwing boots like 213/1907’s but again that same issue arises and my chance of that happening is unlikely. You have to get Ebay lucky for that kind of buy.

Beyond clothing I know you love finding vintage blankets. What draws you to them? What’s the best vintage blanket you’ve found?

I love vintage point blankets but I love them more for aesthetics than for their use, as I believe most people of our time do. It’s largely the history of them is that attracts me. The beginnings of the Hudson Bay Company, the idea of classic wool mills along waterways of largely forgotten industrial towns and cities producing them, it’s all an appeal to me. My favorite would have to be a classic Hudson’s Bay stripe with an Early’s of Witney label I picked up just a couple months ago. Early’s was the first mill to produce the classic multistripe for the HBC.

This week you're opening a vintage pop up shop in the Luna and Hill loft! How did you come up with the idea and what will the store entail?

This is correct! I came up with the idea just as another project to keep me busy and have fun with. I have an interest in vintage clothing and antiques, and I decided I wanted to share this interest with others. It will be classic vintage clothing and a few other small items. All timeless, really.

When/how long will it be running?

It will just be this weekend, being the 8^th and 9^th of September. I would like to throw 2 or 3 a year if possible. Keep collecting to increase the quality and selection over time. Onwards and upwards!

How important to you is it for the shop to have a certain feeling/aesthetic?

It is fairly important to me, which is a good and bad thing. I have a vision and ideal which isn’t realistic to achieve from my first pop-up. With time it will become what I am striving for, keeping it exciting for both me and those who are interested in what I am doing.

Will it be all vintage?

Not all, but mainly. There are a few things that are vintage inspired that fit the aesthetic, so I am throwing them in as well. 

What is your goal with this shop?

My goal with the shop is to simply have fun curating (which I have) and to have enough support and interest to carry on and continue the shop in the future. I am thinking of creating a small web store for the time in between the pop-up shops in which will help out with the future.

Check out the Fillmore Vintage facebook page here. And be sure to head down to the loft Luna and Hill this weekend Sept 8^th and 9^th.

- Zach :0