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After five years of planning, Sondra and Travis Aten have opened Collective Clothing, a vintage-style shop in St. Elmo’s business district.
“We’ve been collecting for so long we knew it was inevitable,” said Travis Aten.
The couple mines personal collections sold at estate sales and on Craiglist for merchandise.
Travis and Sondra Aten, holding daughter Natalie, stand amidst vintage clothes and accessories in their new shop, Collective Clothing, located in St. Elmo’s business district near the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway.
“I just love vintage clothing and I have an eye for it,” said Sondra Aten, also a full-time manager at Greenlife Grocery.
The shop offers one-of-a-kind clothes, accessories, records and cassette tapes. A special room in the back is all baby things.
“As long as a piece is unique it doesn’t matter what era it’s from,” said Sondra Aten.
The Atens, who live on Alabama Avenue, said the shop space and lease rate fell into place at just the right time.
“We love St. Elmo,” said Travis Aten. “We love the area. There’s a lot going on down here... a lot of artists, a lot of families. It’s just really diverse.”
Sondra Aten said Collective Clothing attracts the young and old — those searching for a fantasy past and those re-living their own pasts.
“It’s got the whole element of treasure finding,” said Travis Aten.
The shop sells vintage clothes on consignment as well, inviting the community to be part of the business.
“It’s like a collective of collections,” said Sondra Aten.
After years of experience, the Atens have their own old fashion favorites.
“I really like the old band T-shirts,” said Travis Aten. He said the fun lies in the telltale graphics. “You can always tell which era the shirt was made in just by looking at it.”
It’s dresses and little suitcases for Sondra.
Collective Clothing also serves as an art gallery. The shop is currently featuring the photography of Laura H. Winn. Eventually the Atens want it to be a music venue, too.
“We want to attract as many people as we can,” said Sondra Aten, who comes by her love of music honestly. She and her husband played in the indie rock band Chinasaur a couple of years ago.
“I see this being a good thing for the community,” said Sondra Aten, “but they’re good for us, too.”
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