This Charlotte vintage store where costume designers shop is moving to a new location
Stash Pad is moving from its original Plaza Midwood home to another location ripe with history — next door to Lupie’s Cafe on Monroe Road. The new location at 2708 Monroe Road will host a grand reopening — with coupons and giveaways — the weekend of Sept. 18-19.
Stash Pad owner Corrie Throckmorton founded the vintage clothing and accessories store in January 2015 after a career in casting, costuming and styling. With a love for vintage clothes, sewing and repairing, Stash Pad allows her and co-owner/husband Jason Racino to “make a living doing what we love,” Throckmorton told CharlotteFive.
The store sells all sorts of pieces from the 1940s to 1990s — and the couple is most fond of 70s glam rock and disco glam.
Customers can buy, sell or trade vintage clothing at Stash Pad. Many customers visit looking for clothes to wear to ’70s and ’80s parties, while some shoppers collect certain designers and labels. ”Many of our customers aren’t from Charlotte,” Racino said. “We’re a destination for many — 85% of our customers find us online.”
The new location sports a leopard mural — the store’s new logo — above the front door. Changes such as these are nothing new for Stash Pad, considering the past year and a half. “Before the pandemic, we were desperately trying to sell more online. The pandemic pushed us to get someone who knew how to actually do it — Google, algorithm and linking accounts,” Throckmorton said.
The store now makes a significant portion of its sales through items posted on Instagram and an Etsy shop, which allows it to sell internationally. “It’s a game changer to have an income and not have to rely just on walk-ins,” Throckmorton said.
Stash Pad’s strong online presence has attracted purchasers including costume designers from HBO and Netflix. The store has costume rentals for people shooting commercials and movies.
Same quality and variety
Amidst big changes, many aspects of Stash Pad will stay the same. For starters, Racino and Throckmorton will still wake up early to attend bulk sales and estate sales. They will then repair and clean everything to make sure nothing goes on the rack that is damaged. “We’re sticklers about quality,” Racino said.
Regulars like Brett Bishop have come to love the store’s quality and variety — “I love Stash Pad because you can find anything here. You don’t have to pick through things to find something you want,” Bishop said.
The personal touch afforded by Throckmorton’s background in styling will also remain after the relocation. Customers can book private shopping appointments on Mondays and Tuesdays; if you provide your sizes and style preferences beforehand, they’ll pull pieces before you arrive.
“We have a storage unit packed with stuff,” Throckmorton said. “We might have something in storage that you’ll love. And if you provide your information, we can be on the lookout when new pieces arrive.”
While the pandemic has changed things, Stash Pad will remain community-driven. The store was unable to host community events last year, and it still found a way to give back — by donating clothes to a small theater group.
Next time you’re looking to add a new old piece to your wardrobe — Stash Pad might be just the place to explore.
Stash Pad
Location: 2708 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Near Oakhurst/MoRA
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday: 12-6 p.m.; Monday-Tuesday by appointment only
To shop, sell or trade: walk-in, book an appointment or shop online
Instagram: @stashpad
This story was originally published September 15, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
