For better or worse, sometimes high school nicknames never wear off. In the case of Cory Martinez, hers was more swell than square. Luxie, a reference to Lux Interior of The Cramps, caught on and never went totally away.
Now it's resurfaced as the name of Martinez's recently launched vintage clothing shop.
See also: 5 Favorite West Valley Vintage Shops
Martinez co-founded Meat Market Vintage with her former boyfriend Ben Funke. The pair broke up last year. Since then they'd split the Meat Market duties. Martinez handled the online storefront and Funke ran the shop on Mill Avenue. Working together proved challenging.
"I thought it would be best to go my own way," Martinez says.
So she started up eBay and Etsy storefronts under the Luxie Vintage banner, announcing the change earlier this week.
She says she's beginning to focus more on Etsy to due increasingly rigorous standards on eBay, which is less geared toward vintage -- and because of Etsy's small business-friendly boutique vibe.
But shoppers will find crossover between the two. "I'm trying to make it so that they're virtually the same store. I want to make sure that people can buy the clothing on both [eBay and Etsy]."
Fans of the Meat Market aesthetic can expect to see and shop the same sorts of items: festival-friendly bohemian threads, ladylike dresses, out-there prints, and major colors. "I might incorporate a little bit of men's clothing, but it's going to be pretty similar," she says.
While no official launch party is set, Martinez says she's considering hosting a party, a sort of flea market affair, in October with a few local vendors, music, and snacks.
To keep tabs on the shop's goings-on and check out what's for sale, head to luxievintage.com.
Editor's note: This post has been modified from its original version to clarify a quote.
