Stash House Vintage’s Short North location opened May 31, 2024. Credit: Courtesy of Bella Martinez
Stash House Vintage, a 1990s clothing hub based in Columbus, has curated a niche brand for nostalgic fashion enthusiasts with two locations: one at Polaris Fashion Place and the other in the Short North.
Zach Hamann, owner and operator of Stash House, launched these physical store fronts nearly five years ago — the first being the Polaris location — however, his vintage quest began much earlier.
“I had been selling ‘90s vintage on eBay; I started in 2014,” Hamann said. “But I wanted a physical place where people could come in, touch these items [and] have good ‘90s décor, just create an experience for an in-store shopping experience that wasn’t very common. It didn’t exist in Columbus at the time.”
Although the brand is located near campus, Hamann said Stash House advertises everything ‘90s-based, whether that be Buckeye apparel or not. However, due to the addition of their Short North location in 2024, he said there has been a growing demand for Ohio State related attire.
“Down here at the High Street relocation, that is kind of my bread and butter,” Hamann said.
The hunt for these nostalgic items started with yard sales and consistent thrifting. Hamann said he would travel all around Central Ohio searching for items with the perfect vintage feel. He said finding quality vintage pieces in the beginning of his career was a challenge, but the shop has since expanded to other decades, making it slightly easier.
“We sell products from the ‘80s, all the way now to the early 2000s,” Hamann said. “If it’s over 20 years old, then it’s technically a vintage piece of clothing. We’ll flirt with the early 2000s too.”
While the shop is not directly aimed at Ohio State students, shoppers are often college-aged.
Bella Martinez, a Stash House employee, said events surrounding campus, such as pop-up shops, have led to a stronger connection between the brand and younger shoppers — especially shoppers drawn to sustainable fashion.
“I know we do vintage fests; we do not do too many, but we do that for sure, every year,” Martinez said. “I would think people are definitely appreciating vintage for the fact that pieces are being reused, instead of buying new things, and throwing them out. You know, reusing and recycling clothing is a great idea, and I think people appreciate vintage for that reason, not just the look of it.”
Hamann said business at Stash House has stayed consistent due to the soaring demand for high-quality vintage clothing. Thrifting has only increased in popularity over the years, with vintage clothing often associated with it, which he said allows the ‘90s to never run out of style.
Hamann said for him, it’s about more than just flair, but also authenticity and quality.
“I try to stay true to the ‘90s because of that feeling that it gives you, it’s constant,” Hamann said. “There will always be people that want merchandise from their favorite team, or the band that they saw in concert. The ‘90s apparel was made so well with high-quality embroidery and the heavyweight cotton. I can’t switch it up, from what’s always worked for us.”
Martinez said Ohio State’s football season allows for local entrepreneurs, such as Stash House, to capitalize off students’ excitement for gameday. For Martinez, she said her dream collaboration would be to showcase Stash House’s products on the Oval, with opportunities stretching across the heart of campus.
“I would like to be on campus during a big game, maybe Michigan,” Martinez said. “It would be cool to do something because we’re so close to campus, but we aren’t on campus — maybe a pop-up on the actual campus during gameday.”
Stash House Vintage’s Short North storefront is located at 1129 N. High St. For more information on products and operating hours, visit the shop’s website.
