![]() Overall, I want people to be wearing stuff that is comfortable for them to wear,” L’Esperance said. You have to wear clothing every day, that’s just the society we live in, so finding stuff that you’re actually going to feel up to the challenge of wearing every day is important. “I like the style of the casual stuff because the practicality is big for me. Ragtime specializes in clothing from a variety of decades. The practicality of items remains one of the biggest factors L’Esperance uses to decide if an item will be sold in the store. “Certain T-shirts that are from political movements or events, or even sports T-shirts from a World Series or something, things like that strike a chord with people,” he said. But other more expensive items attract people who enjoy a certain time period and the people and movements within them. L’Esperance said some of the items in Ragtime fulfill utilitarian purposes, such as work jeans or jackets. It’s important to not have some stuff, just as much as it is to have the right stuff,” L’Esperance said. ![]() “You could have a pair of jeans that are really holey, but I wouldn’t buy a pair of suit pants in the same condition. He said it is important to him to have only what he considers good enough in the store. L’Esperance and his employees carefully clean and inspect the items in the store before they go on the racks. I’ve been doing it for so long, stuff that was brand-new when I first started thrifting and shopping for vintage, is vintage now,” L’Esperance said. I enjoy finding stuff that I saw people wearing in high school or wore myself. “Nineties stuff is selling the best right now with younger people. Most of his merchandise ranges in time from the ‘50s to ‘90s, he said. Today, he continues to sell newer vintage items in his shop downtown. “There were a couple changes of ownership, but at the time it was more of a women’s boutique vintage store with more antique clothing, Victorian through the ‘40s, so Ragtime really suited the era of that clothing,” said L’Esperance.Īfter L’Esperance, 37, took over ownership, he changed the inventory to a more modern and casual style but kept the name. They’re also really great about keeping good quality clothes in stock,” said Leah Atkinson, UNC Asheville sophomore.īefore opening Asheville’s Ragtime in 2004, L’Esperance worked at and eventually took over a shop with the same name in Rhode Island. “Ragtime has a really great selection of vintage clothing for reasonable prices. Located at 20 East Walnut St., the store is open seven days a week with varying times, L’Esperance said. Merchandise changes seasonally with new items added each week. Ragtime sells an eclectic mix of handpicked vintage clothing for men and women. I kind of focus on more casual stuff and stay away from the more gaudy or costume-like stuff to some extent, but you know there’s some pieces like that in there too,” said Matthew L’Esperance, Ragtime’s owner. “I try to get stuff that I can picture people wearing and enjoying on a weekly basis. Ragtime, a vintage clothing store in Asheville offers merchandise ranging from the ’50s to the ’90s in style. Distressed denim and graphic T-shirts make up just part of the extensive, nostalgia-inducing collection of attire found at Ragtime Vintage Clothing in downtown Asheville.
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