Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Loretta Marsak.
Nicole, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have always been drawn to old things, old films, and have always loved creating. I never thought I would own my own business, but am very happy with where I find myself. Six years in college had me unconvinced of a true direction, but I finally majored in Fine Arts with a Photography emphasis. I discovered Living History on Riley’s Farm and worked there while in college. I also went right back to school having discovered my love for Archaeology after graduating! After completing Field School, I was hired by a Cultural Resource Management Firm in Redlands. I worked full time for five years doing field and lab work in local Southern CA Archaeology and enjoyed the thrill of discovery most of all. Then I met a musician in vintage bands, and it opened my eyes to a whole new World. Going to the live music shows, I found people that dressed up all the time and lived vintage lifestyles, something I had never realized was my true passion. I was already on that path, true, knowing I liked old music already, but he worked at a vintage clothing store and had a dream to open his own someday.
Together, we were able to make that a reality in the little old college town of Redlands in San Bernardino. That shop was called Hobo’s Vintage, and it sure was fun. We made our first paper moon for one of his shows and a 1920s themed party we had, and it was requested after that. We got married and after four years and with a two years old boy now, he wanted to separate for the true hobo life apparently, and I was devasted. But once I realized I would still have this life I loved, of vintage discoveries and style, I was able to carry on. Neither of us felt right running the shop on our own so closed it, but I was starting my very own brand by then, Paper Moon Vintage, and getting excited at the thought of moving back to LA. With my mom’s help back in the San Fernando Valley, I was able to get to work building my brand through vending at vintage shows and events and on-line and was asked to set my paper moon up at the vintage nightclub The Cicada Club.
It was a huge hit there to provide photos and led to many Wedding gigs for my photo booth. Fate would have it that one night I met the most perfect match, a Los Angeles Historian and fellow vintage lover (now my husband). I was determined one way or another to open my very own shop that could never be taken away from me again, and completely my own vision, and with his support I was able to do that much sooner. He had been wearing and collecting vintage since a teenager, and fully supported the idea. The store space on Hollywood Blvd. fell in my lap when my ex suggested we share a booth at Vintage Vortex. After a bit, the whole storefront became available and I knew it was a good opportunity to lease it for my own store. With the help of talented, creative friends, we were able to make it what it is. Three leases renewals and much rent increased later, it will be six years now in August on Hollywood at Sunset.
Has it been a smooth road?
The pros must outweigh the cons, and they do, but it has certainly not been a smooth road. Perhaps the bumpy road makes it all the more rewarding. Having a child makes it all the more difficult to allow yourself enough time needed to successfully run a business, trying to balance it out being a good parent. I am lucky to have two father figures for my boy that both do their turn, an amazing set of grandparents and my own mother to help when needed. Having my own business also allows me to work from home at times, doing on-line sales and social media, so I can be more present. We live in a historic house in Highland Park that I absolutely adore, so sometimes it’s tough to have to leave it. For specifically the business: The biggest struggle of all came when the building I am in got new owners two years ago. Since my lease was about up, they had doubled the rent to stay in the expanded spot I had grown into. To jump up that suddenly just did not seem fair.
So I decided to downsize back to the original spot, after trying to negotiate with no luck. A year later, the space next door was sitting there empty still and the owner now decided to try to work with me for something more fair and finally was able to fix a lot of the problems. We had AC issues, etched graffiti on some of the windows and the ceiling leak issues. We were able to compromise and work it out and now have a two years lease with the expanded space again. Other basic struggles I dealt with a lot and still do: Learning to balance how much stock you can buy versus being able to pay all the bills and employees is the constant struggle. Learning how to be gracious enough to not be bothered by people copying your photo booth and/or the way you do things, but instead be flattered. Learning how to deal with the problems of real vintage, which are not mostly antique and delicate. Being positive always and believing in your mission and vision is Key to it handling it all.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My business is a very creative type, not a normal vintage shop. I combine my passions and backgrounds in Art, Photography, History and Old Hollywood and Glam all in one. Vintage clothing can be wearable Art and a relic of the Past or piece of History, at the same time. My thesis for it all began with inspiration from antique paper moon photo postcards that I started collecting about 15 years ago. How whimsical they were, I thought, to make a backdrop of the moon to sit on! Not only that but what a great way it was to study the beautiful fashions of that past. These studio prop photos started being popular in the late 1800s and had their height in the 1910s-20s. My shop then is the present day experience of that past- getting to see those clothes and buy them and to capture that innocent wonder of the moon and creating the illusion of being on it. It really is like the song It’s only a Paper Moon, where the lyrics say it doesn’t have to be make-believe (if you just believe it). Through playing only vintage music from that time period (and through the 60s), having vintage light fixtures and a painted starry night ceiling, offering free moon pies (around since 1916!) and dressing ourselves in real vintage clothing and styling, we really seek to let you experience and recapture the style of the Past. And yet we provide great photo opps for social media, almost ironically!
One of my favorite things to collect is film worn or “screen worn” film wardrobe pieces. The excitement of discovering a favorite actor or even a forgotten actor’s name in a garment and the possibility of finding what film it is from is very exciting to me. I’ve been lucky to acquire quite a few pieces, selling some in the shop but keeping plenty. I love old films, so it’s a perfect excuse to watch more. Western Costume Co. pieces or for any films are always really well made. I also did some background work on period pieces, loving to get the chance to feel like time traveling, so appreciate film wardrobing. Having taken years of dance classes as a child, and even some burlesque dabbling as an adult, I love stage and dance costume pieces as well. We are most obviously different from most other vintage shops in that we do not carry any 70s, 80s, or 90s. Once polyester came into widespread use, the quality and details in clothing really went on the decline in my opinion. But you can find most of that in thrift stores, where the older stuff is a vanishing resource and getting harder and harder to find. Men’s vintage in general is also very hard to find, and we have worked hard to provide a good selection. I believe in having a curated selection as well as getting to dig and make your own discoveries in finding bargains, and love to have a balanced mix.
The 1920s-30s are my personal favorites in style, and I try to specialize in it. I have put on fashion shows for years for the Art Deco Society and now that I became a board member, I started the Fashion Committee and am co-chair. To goal there is to promote Art Deco fashion awareness, styling tips and advice for the events, and preservation. Having events makes all the hard work worth it when customers come together to have a good time with us. We love to have themed full moon parties or holiday parties, hire local musicians or vendors, and have special workshops or book signings. Now that we got the expanded space back again, we plane to do lots more of this again. Very proud to be able to offer fun jobs, help people out who are looking to pass on their vintage to good homes, and to provide an escape from mainstream modern low standards. Proud of the overall theme and the beauty of it, and the community created.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I like best about our city is the Old Hollywood History and old, historic buildings that create the more interesting landscape, the hodgepodge of cultures and influences mixed together, and the freedom we have to be who we are. I love that there is so much to do all the time, so much culture, history and creativity- on any given night there is swing dancing somewhere and live vintage-style music, art shows, and classic venues to visit. I hear people in other more rural cities complain how they have nowhere to wear such pretty vintage clothes too, but here we have so much. What I like least about our city is how beautiful old buildings can be so easily torn down for new, ugly modern buildings that have no character. We have to undergo a long battle to get an important building nominated for historic status to be protected, and even then there are loopholes and the interior is not at all protected. There are great groups that fight for this, such as the Los Angeles Conservancy, Hollywood Heritage, and the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, but I wish overall we cared much more about protecting our History.
But I am inspired by those who do care and try to make a difference. My own husband is a Los Angeles historian and has done a good amount of preservation work. So I became a board member of the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles about two years ago to also do my part. Also, of course, a common problem in most cities- the homeless situation. It is so sad and frustrating seeing all these people without the help they need. It is clear that many of them suffer from a wide range of addiction or mental ailments, and we need better and more programs to assist with providing relief. To see buildings sitting there empty, sometimes due to greedy landlords, while human beings are without shelter, is a tragic irony we have created. Also, the trash and pollution is a major problem. Everyday I am at my shop, I spend time sweeping up the tons of trash on the curbside, even in a pretty vintage dress. I see people just throw trash out of their cars into the street. We need to all take more pride and help make it the beautiful city it could be.
Pricing:
- Monthly Full moon sale with 25% off everything, with a full moon party at evening.
- Clearance Racks outside with very good deals all under $50, always being added to.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4516 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90027
- Website: www.pmvintage.com
- Phone: 323 MOON 009
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Susie Delaney (photographer for the one of the outside of my shop) and me on my Paper Moon. Other photos are just credit to Paper Moon Vintage
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