Small Business Spotlight: Vintage Series

Fresno, Calif. (KFSN) — Shoppers with a passion for streetwear and sneakers find their go-to store at Fashion Fair.

The Retro Collection, next door to Forever 21, opened during the pandemic.

Rick Salinas said owning a store became his goal after spending time helping his father with his own business.

“As a kid, me and my brother, we’d go and help with him, and we went from there,” Salinas said. “We made our own booth and stuff when we were eight or nine years old.”

Across California – Salinas and his brother help their dad sell shirts at a swap meet.

It was his father’s passion and work ethic that fueled Rick’s dream.

“He challenged us to create our own stuff, so that’s when we started designing,” recalls Salinas.

Now, he has an entire store at Fashion Fair filled with his own designs.

“Our goal is to bring something very unique to Fresno,” Salinas said.

“There’s nothing like it around Fresno,” says customer Chris Blair. “You have to go to the Bay Area or the Los Angeles area to find something like this. So having something like this in Fresno is huge.”

Retro Collection offers the latest in streetwear, such as vintage shirts and hats.

“It’s cool to walk around town and see our shirts on people or hats,” says employee Martina Ebnercignetti.

An entire wall showcases the hottest sneakers from Nike, Air Jordan and Adidas Yeezy—some styles that are hard to find in stores or online.

“It’s really hard to get something, especially if they’ve been discontinued or they’re not making anything right now. It’s really hard, but that’s where we come into play. If we can get it, we’ll definitely have it in store sell it here,” explained Roy Salinas, the store’s big buyer.

The Retro Collection also attracts sneakerheads across the state who are interested in selling or trading in their shoes.

You’ll find local athletes, including Fresno State’s Jalen Cropper and boxer Marc Castro rocking The Retro Collection, which helps bring the store’s name to a wider audience.

“They came in and asked for all these things, and we were like ‘Oh yeah, that’s what Jalen Copper wore. It’s the one from Marc,'” manager Fernando Quintero said.

In just two years, the store has come a long way, which staff say is due to community support, which is part of the company’s efforts to give back to local schools and charities.

Looking ahead to the new year, employees are excited about what’s to come – saying it’s just the beginning for The Retro Collection.