The owner of vintage store Pimbeche is a second-generation secondhand collector.
Lisa Ferrari-Sullivan remembers thrifting for clothing and furniture with her parents throughout her childhood. Her father, who grew up during the Great Depression, repurposed everything. Her parents believed in sustainable living before it was “even a thing,” she said.
“I think having that background kind of led me to where I am now,” Ferrari-Sullivan said.
She opened the store about three months ago. It has clothing, accessories, jewelry, and handbags that span from the 1940s to the early 2000s (yes, the 90s and early 2000s are now considered vintage). There are some contemporary pieces, too. Most of the clothing is for women, but there’s a men’s rack, which women have been buying from, too.
Most of the furniture in the store and some of the mannequins are secondhand, and Ferrari-Sullivan has stories about hustling to get them from online sellers and at Habitat NYC Restore on Northern Boulevard.
Ferrari-Sullivan, who, on a Wednesday night in July, was wearing a black 1970s Hawaiian dress designed in a 1950s style, started her career in fashion. When the showroom she worked at closed, she stayed home to take care of her daughters, who are now 12 and 14. But all along, she was collecting and selling vintage clothing on the side online.
Even though her friends thought wearing vintage clothes was a trend, Ferrari-Sullivan said she knew it would last.
“I think people really like buying things to repurpose them,” she said. ”Even the younger generation like my daughter is always shopping online for used pieces.”
The name Pimbeche comes from a brainstorming session Ferrari-Sullivan had about 10 years ago with her French friend. She taught her the word, “pimbeche” which means a snobby girl.
“I thought it was just kind of cute,” Ferrari-Sullivan said.
A couple of younger French customers informed her the phrase might be vintage itself — they said it is an older word that isn't commonly used.
Eventually, Ferrari-Sullivan started selling vintage clothing at Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene and was most recently selling at Chelsea Flea with her mother by her side.
She sources the pieces she sells by thrifting at other stores and by going to auctions, estate sales, and vintage wholesalers — places with a large volume of clothing that is sorted.
“Everything is pretty much hand picked,” she said. “I really enjoy doing it.”
When the pandemic started, the flea markets shut down temporarily. Eventually, Ferrari-Sullivan thought about opening her own shop in Astoria, her home of 20 years. She found the space, a recently renovated building on a residential 28th street that used to be a plumbing business.
“I was a little nervous,” she said of being on a side street. “But so far it’s been great.”
Ferrari-Sullivan’s mom hasn’t been helping in the store, but sometimes goes to estate sales in Connecticut, where she lives, to source items for the shop.
Now her own daughters help in the store and model some of the clothing and purses.
Ferrari-Sullivan’s collection covers an array of eras and styles — organized somewhat by color — but lately she’s been adding more size inclusive offerings and Y2K styles, which younger customers are looking for.
Ferrari-Sullivan said she remembers wearing some of the styles she now buys for the store, like a pair of low-rise, bootcut jeans she sourced.
“It was kind of painful to buy,” she said. “Then it started to be really funny.”
That evening, a group of friends came in looking for 90s styles. Ferrari-Sullivan chatted with the customers about the boba and guinea pig stickers she keeps at the register (they’re free) and how older clothes are better quality.
Ferrari-Sullivan enjoys building relationships with her customers and neighbors. She’s already had repeat customers — one came in that evening — who talk to her about what’s going in their lives.
“The community’s bee very supportive, she said. “I think it’s wonderful. Because people really want to shop local, shop small business, but they’re into sustinability, too. I think that’s another draw to the shop, too.”
Now that Ferrari-Sullivan is settling into the retail store, she plans to launch an e-commerce site soon. She’ll list some exclusive high-end vintage pieces that are not in the retail shop because they’re too delicate, like early Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, and other European brands, and designer handbags.
She plans to return to Chelsea Flea one weekend day a week in the fall.
“I want to be in the shop as much as possible,” she said.
Even though the name of the store means “snob,” the environment is the opposite. Ferrari-Sullivan wants shopping at Pimbeche to be a laid back experience. She encourages people to try things on and chat.
“Overall I try to keep the prices really reasonable,” she said. “I want it to be accessible.”
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