Beatnik Emporium: The South’s Wardrobe Saviour
On the hectic Southampton high street, there is a shop different from the rest, one that holds stories going back decades. Beatnik Emporium is one of the only vintage shops in the city, making it a haven for those who crave unique fashion.
Growing up in Southampton and spending my youth walking down Above Bar Street, I saw heaps of corporate shops selling the same style of clothes, or whatever was trendy at the time. It bored me. I wanted to be individual in my style and escape the hold Primark had on everyone. Walking to the end of Above Bar Street, I found the escape of Beatnik Emporium. When you first glance at it, it appears as if you have gone back in time. The red painted sign you won’t see anywhere else on the high street, combined with rails of distinctive clothes, tease you to peek in the windows to see more. When you finish sifting through the outdoor rails and decide it's time to go in, you are welcomed with music, handpicked by the staff and an immense choice of well-priced clothes spanning 40+ years. As well as miscellaneous items that surprise you, as you take everything in.
I have been in the shop countless times for many years. Every time I walk out with something different to take home. I have always been curious about what goes on behind the scenes, where it came from and how it stays afloat in the seemingly modern town centre of Southampton. To find out, I met with the staff to learn about the past, present and future of the shop. The owner, Sas, took me behind the scenes, starting from where Beatnik Emporium began.
“We started with very little money and a yearning to travel and to be our own boss!”
Thirty-three years ago, an idea sprouted within Sas and her friend, Mandy. Like me, they loved clothes that were different. Mandy was inspired by hippie markets, wanting a stall herself, which Sas offered to help with. The pair travelled around India, Thailand and Indonesia, finding original clothes and jewellery to send back to England to sell at their markets. Even though this accomplished travel with business, Sas had a different passion for second-hand and vintage fashion, which the pair decided to concentrate on as the main form of business.
They took to selling vintage designs in University foyers, transforming themselves into two shops in Southampton’s Ocean Village from the early 90s to the millennium, when they moved to the bustling Above Bar Street. The current team consists of Sas, Mitch, Sam and Luke, who consistently work hard to create a “friendly, relaxed and informal” atmosphere in the shop where customers are free to express themselves.
For Sas, the shop is more than a business.
”The whole business feels like a living, breathing thing, almost with a personality of its own. I feel lucky to be part of it, and proud to have been one of its creators.”
She admits the gratification of running an unparalleled shop can be stressful.
“Sometimes the responsibility feels relentless, however, but I think that is due to being self-employed rather than the nature of the shop.”
Sas mentioned having watched many vintage stores come and go throughout the lifespan of Beatnik Emporium. I was curious what made this one stick. Sas explained its longevity was down to commitment.
“I suspect they do not make the money that they want to, as although our shop is well established, it is very much a labour of love and it takes a lot of hard work and devotion to keep it running.”
From a customer's point of view, like myself, it is a goldmine. Shopping at Beatnik means supporting independent businesses and choosing more sustainable clothing, whilst being able to build an individual style from collecting vintage pieces no one else will have. Out of view, the team sources their stock by buying in bulk from wholesalers and handpicking the clothes that represent them the best. It is a very tedious pursuit that also involves hunting at second-hand shops or car boot sales.
Sas adds, “Sometimes we buy them privately from someone who has contacted the shop with clothes for sale.” However, they rarely take clothes that are newer than the early 2000s, unless it is a piece that truly stands out as quirky or special.
The team are overtly passionate about the clothes they source and call it “rewarding” when they see customers share their enthusiasm. Their audience gathers many groups of different people together, including students, holiday makers and general passersby, who all unite over their love of vintage.
Amongst this are the frequent “regulars” who adore the laid-back vibe that the store brings to Southampton.
“Some come in mainly for a chat, and some come mainly for the clothes.” Sas recounts.
“Usually, it is people who live or have lived in Southampton, although some come from the Isle of Wight and further afield. We also have regular cruise ship staff pop in when they dock in Southampton.”
A huge driving force behind the shared admiration for vintage fashion between Beatnik Emporium and its customers is sustainability. Sas says she “gets a real buzz out of being resourceful, recycling and reusing,” contributing to the circular economy.
Southampton is home to West Quay shopping centre, and it is no surprise that it houses some of the biggest names guilty of fast fashion, including H&M, Zara and Jack Wills. Beatnik's values appear to be firmly against this, so I wondered about Sas’s thoughts on fast fashion and the rise of micro trends.
“Fast fashion is unnecessary, it's usually terrible quality clothing that is unlikely to last and is cheap and throwaway. It is also man-made fabrics, which take a long time to break down and create waste that is difficult to dispose of. I think fashion is exciting, and new looks are fun to create. This can be done by reusing, buying second hand and taking time to invent our own individual styles rather than rushing to buy the latest micro trend.”
Now more than ever, people are choosing to be responsible and choose second-hand fashion first. As Sas puts it, “So many more are buying second-hand and vintage. I hope this trend continues and grows as people realise the benefit to the planet and their pocket. Platforms such as Vinted and eBay have helped to push the joy of second-hand. The advantage of a real vintage shop is the fun shopping experience and the chance to try before you buy, which I think is important (especially if you don't like or can't be bothered to send things back!) The second-hand clothing revolution has started, and long may it continue.”
Unlike the underwhelming, generic clothes shops that line Southampton's high street, Beatnik Emporium offers something far rarer: sustainability, individuality, conversation and atmosphere that simply cannot be replicated. As you exit Beatnik Emporium, with your hands full of your new clothes you are reminded that the love of vintage and the desire for uniqueness cannot be drowned out by corporate chains and fleeting micro trends.
