The Stash Pad’s newly expanded online presence has attracted buyers including costume designers from Netflix and HBO, and items are available to rent for film and commercial shoots.
CharlotteFive
Stash Pad is moving from its original Plaza Midwood home to another location steeped in history – next to Lupie’s Cafe on Monroe Road. The new location at 2708 Monroe Road will host a grand reopening — complete with coupons and giveaways — the weekend of September 18-19.
Stash Pad owner Corrie Throckmorton founded the vintage clothing and accessories store in January 2015 after a career in casting, costumes and styling. With a love for vintage clothing, sewing and repair, Stash Pad allows her and co-owner/husband Jason Racino to “earn a living doing what we love,” Throckmorton told CharlotteFive.
The store sells all kinds of pieces from the 1940s to the 1990s – and the couple loves glam rock and 70s glam disco.
Customers can buy, sell, or trade vintage clothing at Stash Pad. Many customers come looking for clothes to wear for 70s and 80s parties, while some shoppers collect certain designers and brands. “A lot of our customers aren’t from Charlotte,” Racino said. “We are a destination for many – 85% of our customers find us online.”
The new location features a leopard mural – the store’s new logo – above the front door. Such changes aren’t new to Stash Pad, given the last year and a half. “Before the pandemic, we were desperately trying to sell more online. The pandemic pushed us to find someone who knew how to actually do it – Google, algorithm and link accounts,” Throckmorton said.
The store now makes a significant portion of its sales through Instagram posts and an Etsy shop, allowing it to sell internationally. “It’s a game-changer to have an income and not have to rely solely on walk-ins,” Throckmorton said.
Stash Pad’s strong online presence has attracted buyers including costume designers from HBO and Netflix. The store offers costume rentals for people shooting commercials and movies.
Same quality and variety
Amid big changes, many aspects of Stash Pad will remain the same. For starters, Racino and Throckmorton will always wake up early to attend wholesale sales and estate sales. They will then fix and clean everything to make sure nothing is wrong with the damaged rack. “We’re fussy about quality,” Racino said.
Regulars like Brett Bishop have come to love the quality and variety of the store – “I love Stash Pad because you can find anything here. You don’t have to search through things to find something you want,” Bishop said.
The personal touch of Throckmorton’s styling experience will also remain after the move. Customers can book private shopping appointments on Mondays and Tuesdays; if you indicate your sizes and style preferences in advance, they will remove the pieces before you arrive.
“We have a storage unit full of stuff,” Throckmorton said. “We may have something in stock that you will love. And if you provide your information, we can be on the lookout when new parts arrive.
Although the pandemic has changed things, Stash Pad will remain community-focused. The store was unable to hold community events last year, and it still found a way to give back by donating clothing to a small theater troupe.
The next time you’re looking to add a new old-fashioned piece to your wardrobe, Stash Pad might be the place to explore.
hiding place
Location: 2708 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Near Oakhurst/MoRA
Opening hours: Wednesday-Sunday: 12 p.m.-6 p.m.; Monday to Tuesday by appointment only
To shop, sell or exchange: without an appointment, make an appointment or shop online
Instagram: @stashpad
This story was originally published September 15, 2021 6:00 a.m.
