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Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Your A-List: Best Vintage Clothing Store
Co-owner Jennifer Barker-Benfield returned to Austin after receiving a degree in American history from Scripps College in California, and it was, in part, her love of America’s past that led to the desire to open a vintage store with her mom. Located at 2100-B Guadalupe St., the store opened by Barker-Benfield and her mother Susie Lange in 1994 initially began in a 100-square-foot space above Atomic City on San Antonio Street. After getting up and running, the store moved to a location on Red River and 32nd streets in 1995, where it stayed until 2004, running concurrently with the shop on Guadalupe, which opened in 2000.
In the business’s early years, the ladies traveled in a van across the country, from New York to Florida to the rag warehouses of the Rio Grande Valley, searching for unique items they felt the citizens of Austin would appreciate. But over the years, escalating gas prices made such travels prohibitive, and driven by a desire to keep their costs low, the duo began incorporating consignment buys to help stock their inventory. Unlike some vintage stores around town, Blue Velvet does not accept trades and rarely buys clothing from people off the street looking to turn a buck.
Located in the heart of the Drag, the store is naturally popular with college students looking to keep up with the latest (old) trends, but the shop, which took its name from the seedy David Lynchian surroundings of its original location, has also proven to be a destination of sorts for tourists, high school students and young adults who have come to trust Velvet’s sense of style.
The store thrives on the creativity and discerning taste of its employees, many of whom now lend a hand in the creation of original screen prints that the store will apply to anything you can put ink on, be it T-shirt, dress or suitcase. Beyond their own silk-screening, Blue Velvet takes pride in buying crafty, hand-made vintage reworkings, and the DIY ethic is apparent in many of their products.
Asked why she though Blue Velvet was our readers’ favorite, Barker-Benfield responded that they have long taken pride in offering a stylish and eclectic selection of “wearable” pieces at good prices. (The semi-regular sales featuring delicious cupcakes might have something to do with it, too.)
It seems you concur.
Blue Velvet Vintage Clothing (site)
2100-B Guadalupe St. (map)
512.472.9399
Hours:
Monday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Also receiving votes:
Flashback (25 percent), New Bohemia (21 percent), Big Bertha’s Basement (12 percent), Amelia’s Retro-Vogue & Relics (7 percent)
Write-ins:
Buffalo Exchange, Citywide Garage Sale, Feathers, Goodwill, My
Closet, Pallenberg, Room Service, Salvation Army, Savers, Thrifttown
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Your A-List: Best 24-Hour Restaurant
Residing in its trademark red-brick building since 1979, the ubiquitous Marc Katz has made a name for himself and his restaurant, appearing on television commercials, running for mayor and, of course, holding down the fort at the establishment that bears his family’s name.
Diners have been flocking to the New York-themed deli for decades to satisfy their cravings for big-as-your-head pastrami sandwiches, tuna melts and burgers. True to the times, Katz acknowledges that as the city and nation have become more health- conscious, so has his restaurant. Unlike in the 1970s, about which Katz says there were only two food groups — sodium and cholesterol — the restaurant has made moves to satisfy people’s health needs as well as their taste buds, offering a multitude of salads and low-sodium alternatives to the greasy greatness for which the deli has become an Austin legend.
But more than just good food served in ample portions, Katz thinks his restaurant has maintained its popularity because eating out is a form of entertainment, and Katz makes sure the late-night party continues at his home away from home.
We gotta tell ya, Katz’s Deli is near and dear to many of your hearts, and they’ve got the votes to prove it.
Katz’s Deli (site)
618 W. Sixth St. (map)
512.472.2037
Hours:
Katz’s Never Kloses!
Also receiving votes:
Kerbey Lane (27 percent), Magnolia Cafe (24 percent), IHOP (6 percent), Star Seeds (3 percent)
(Image from Kelly West/AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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