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A Queenstown vintage clothing enthusiast reckons he may have opened New Zealand’s first men’s thrift store, but he says he is hoping to make it about more than just clothes.
Josh Yates opened The Old Man’s Attic at Frankton’s Country Lane artisan village about three months ago, selling men’s vintage clothing and promoting the principles of slow fashion.
“I’ve had a good look, and I can’t find another men’s thrift store in NZ,” the 27-year-old says.
“So dang, I might even be the first, which is crazy.”
Mr Yates, who grew up on Auckland’s North Shore, moved to Queenstown four years ago to pursue his profession as a wedding photographer.
By then he’d already created The Old Man’s Attic brand, initially as a social media page.
“I really love vintage clothing and sustainability and slow fashion.
“It was just a little Instagram account and I barely sold anything.”
However, he’s taken the brand to the next level by opening the store in Queenstown — it is open Thursdays to Sundays from 10am to 4.30pm.
He gets its stock from a few regular suppliers, his own op-shop finds and Marketplace purchases.
People have also begun coming into the store offering him garments, while trips overseas give him another opportunity to hunt for stock.
“When I travel overseas for wedding shoots, I bring back bags full of stuff,” he says.
For Mr Yates, slow fashion means “reuse, repair, or buy well-made”.
“I try to encourage people to not just buy the latest trend that’s been made poorly, and then throw it out.”
Besides fashion, a core mission of The Old Man’s Attic is to promote men’s mental health.
With a friend, he’s planning two regular events — a fortnightly get-together where men can talk about mental health, and “learn from a granddad” sessions where an older resident can teach a skill or share some wisdom.
He’s loving being part of the Country Lane artisan community, where he’s found people with similarly creative and independent interests.
“All the people here are friendly and have cool passions and are authentic people.”
He’s having fun on social media promoting the shop, creating quirky photos and videos for Instagram and TikTok.
“I’d say eight out of 10 people that come into the store say they found me off the videos.”
