In 2019, Eureka College student, David Hill officially opened his up-and-coming business, Elgin Vintage, in hopes to pursue his hobby of thrifting vintage clothing, but that is not his only goal. The environmental studies major also emphasizes the sustainable choice of shopping for vintage wear.
David began his journey by selling sneakers and realized he did not like how much money he was investing. Him and his friends would watch Youtuber, Paul Cantu, who would post videos on how to “ball on a budget” when it came to thrifting.
“He was a big inspiration to me, and that’s what sparked my interest in thrifting,” said Hill.
Hill began by selling on Depop in 2020 during the COVID-19 shutdown, which then transition to selling more to people in his neighborhood. This all progressed into him doing more events and eventually built up the courage to open his own store front.
As well as his love for thrifting, an important piece to Elgin Vintage is its factor of sustainability.
“I feel like it is something that not a lot of people care about, and the environment is something that I care about a lot, personally. So, to be able to contribute in a small way through the reuse of vintage clothing is cool,” said Hill.
David was also fortunate enough to receive guidance from Eureka College’s faculty, as his hard work and passion did not go unnoticed.
“This is a totally different aspect of sustainability than I had any experience with,” Dr. Katy Everett, Hill’s academic advisor, said.
In doing her part, Dr. Everett pushed David to see it through a more academic lens, and to learn more about the industry from a broader perspective. Her efforts included setting up internship opportunities for David on campus to ensure that he was not only growing his business, but to receive guidance on the business side of the industry.
“We pivoted his environmental studies course requirements to business so that he could make progress on what he’s doing and not so much conservation,” Everett said.
David has proven to be an inspiration and an example for students to utilize the college experience to pursue their goals and hobbies alike. He will reopen his store front next summer in Elgin, Illinois permanently.
