By Shantaja Brown
Off the Rack Vintage Boone is a new business that opened in February 2024 on King Street.
As a shoe collector and lover of sneakers, the New Balances and Air Forces in the window of the newly opened store caught my eye, so I decided to venture in. I was surprised to see such urban sneakers in a store on King Street, as sneakers such as Nike Dunks, Jordans, or Air Forces are not a part of the typical market demand in Boone, North Carolina.
Once I was in the store, the first sense I felt was a very laid back and chill vibe. Most importantly, it was vintage. There were vintage cereal boxes, a boom box, and classic Looney Tunes photos. There was a purple bike in the middle of the floor that reminded me of the bikes seen in the 1995 movie “Friday.” There were couches and chairs that gave the store a very vintage, comfy feel, and a 90s song by T-Pain was playing. There was a TV, a sofa table, and even free alcoholic beverages that were offered to any person over 21.
For me, it was a contrast between a store and a hang out spot, but it worked so well together.
My eyes kept panning to the sneakers on the wall, but I also noticed that the store was flooded with vintage clothes. There were sports jackets, hats and beanies, sweatshirts, v-necks, t-shirts, jeans, overalls, duffle bags, throw jackets, and more.
To me, personally, the store itself was pretty dope. It had a very different vibe than the other stores on King Street, yet it had a purpose. Boone itself is becoming more diverse, and the store helps to bring a lot of variety while still paying homage to the vintage 90s feel that Boone often elicits.
Toby Lemley is the founder and owner of Off the Rack Vintage. I was able to speak with him and get to know him as a businessman. Lemley was very welcoming, as were his employees. Customer service is very important to me as a consumer, and so, it was very refreshing to meet a businessman with service at the top of his list.
Lemley shared his views: “Customer service is what separates us. We like being able to meet the individual that comes in. We want to connect with you and make friends before we sell you anything in the shop. You’re sharing your time with us, and we want to give you our very best – if it’s through us connecting with you or if it’s just a piece we’re able to provide you in the shop.”
I was able to see his words come to life as he introduced himself and made conversation with each group or person who walked through the doors. Ranging from businessmen to college students, they were all treated the same.
Off the Rack Vintage Boone is the second storefront that Lemley has opened. There is also a store located in Winston Salem, operated by his son, Anson Lemley, and Fabio Sandoval, who are both owners as well. Off the Rack Vintage Winston Salem has been open for two years. There is also a pop-up mobile bus that came before the storefronts and still runs today.
I was curious to know the difference in the two stores, seeing as Winston Salem has a different demographic than Boone.
Surprisingly to me, Lemley stated, “We get a good 50/50 blend in Winston. We get a good mix of Black, White, and Hispanic. That is what we enjoy about the shop there and the shop in Boone.”
Lemley strongly felt that “vintage doesn’t just appeal to one demographic; it appeals to everybody, and that’s what we love about it.”
I could tell that Lemley cared much about the impact that his store had on the Boone community, but specifically the students.
Toby allows the store to be used for events after 7 p.m. at no cost because he wants to provide college students with a place that they can go and be themselves and where they can feel relaxed and have fun.
Off the Rack Vintage also has a buy, sell, and trade policy that has put thousands of dollars back into the pockets of students, because it allows students to bring their shoes and vintage clothing to be purchased at a fair price. Lastly, an Appalachian State University student discount ranging anywhere from 10-15% will be coming soon.
Overall, Off the Rack Vintage Boone is the hottest place for young college students at the moment in the area.
It has as Lemley refers to it a “high energy positive vibe that is chill,” and I agree!
Whether you are coming to chill and do homework between classes or looking for a nice pair of sneakers to wear to the next sports game, Off the Rack Vintage is the place to go.
Most significantly, it has management and a customer service team that is kind and interactive.
Lemley’s main goal is to wake up every day, do what makes him happy, and chase his passion.
When you walk into Off the Rack Vintage, you see that in every inch of the store. With only a month in, Off the Rack Vintage is making a great name for itself and a huge impact in the App State community. I look forward to seeing what it is to come.
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