New Eau Claire Shop Aims for ‘Vintage Wonderland’ Vibe
Seven Suns Vintage offers clothes from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s
Jonah Lemke and Savannah Smith live in a different era.
Or at least that’s the vibe they hope to give off with their new vintage clothing store, Seven Suns Vintage, which opens in downtown Eau Claire on Saturday, June 6.
“There’s been a lot of blessings along the way,” said Lemke, a tattoo artist at Wintership Tattoo in Eau Claire. “It feels like it was meant to be.”
The store is a blend of eye-catching, jaw-dropping, “vintage Wonderland” clothing from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s with a variety of aesthetics, Lemke said. From leather Harley Davidson jackets to vintage women’s dresses, the pair said it’s like stepping back in time when trying on clothes.
The store is a blend of eye-catching, jaw-dropping, “vintage Wonderland” clothing from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s with a variety of aesthetics, Lemke said. From leather Harley Davidson jackets to vintage women’s dresses, the pair said it’s like stepping back in time when trying on clothes.
Smith, a singer-songwriter, who was born and raised in Eau Claire and works at Chippewa Falls Middle School at the after-school program, started the project after she and Lemke began dating about a year ago. Smith had amassed a huge, expensive collection of vintage clothes from thrift shopping and garage sales, which she sold online. But she didn’t know how to move forward. Though Lemke and Smith knew each other from Eau Claire before they started dating, they made the vintage-shop dream come true once they hit it off with each other.
“We love thrifting and looking for garage sales,” Lemke said.
“We are very eclectic,” Smith added.
They wanted to open their storefront in May, but the pandemic pushed them back a bit. In light of demonstrations following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Smith said they settled on a soft opening on June 6 and a celebratory opening on Saturday, June 13. But the community has already taken notice of the retro storefront.
“A lot of people have been peeking their heads in,” Smith said.
It’s no wonder why; the store reflects the pair’s artistic eye – particularly for Lemke, who has always dreamed of being an artist. The store is symmetrical, Lemke said, with thoughtful color choices and matching tones. Smith added that there’s lots of plants, dark wood, and warm, gradient tones that are ’70s-esque.
“We basically go for things that we’re drawn to,” Lemke said. “Things that are fun to look at.”
TreePurpose – an Eau Claire woodworking company that creates commercial build-outs, home furnishings, and designed wooden items – constructed the Seven Suns Vintage sign, which now stands proudly on the storefront at 305 S. Barstow St. in downtown Eau Claire.
“We’re definitely putting our heart into it,” the pair said. “We’re both really excited about it.”
To learn more about Seven Suns Vintage, check out their Instagram page at @7sunsvintage.
