“We’re aiming for the world’s biggest Hall & Oates collection,” Kyle Turner says as he points to a shelf with vinyl reserved solely for the duo. “Though we do have a ways to go.” Turner — along with girlfriend Storm Luu, old pal Rob Moseley and Tamara Salpeter rounding out the bunch — owns Of A Kind, a shiny new store on College Street hawking both vintage fashion and vinyl.
In general, the guys are responsible for the vinyl — which takes over the front of the shop —while the girls deal with the vintage in the back, but the borders aren’t strict, and there’s plenty of input coming from both sides. Salpeter has worked with Fresh Collective, while Luu recently won TIFF’s Kelly Style Challenge, which was judged by Jeanne Beker.
Housed on shelves built by Mosley and another mutual friend, the vinyl consists of vintage selections and new releases, with some of Turner’s current faves including Bibio, Dan Deacon and Kensington regulars Promonium Jesters (which also happens to be Mosley’s band).
Vintage vinyl offerings include the likes of Herbie Hancock, some “hazy, ‘60s garage pop” from The Ventures and The Safaris, and, of course, Hall & Oates. Pricing ranges from about $10 to $27 (or more, for less common releases), with haggling possible, depending on what the purchase entails. Artwork displayed on the wall above the records is from local artist Jeff Blackburn, and features renditions of recording artists’ mug shots.
Both guys and gals can shop the clothing, all of which is priced very reasonably (“we’re not on Queen Street,” Turner stresses). The men’s section is commendable. Plenty of striped, checkered, plaid and denim shirts are to be found (from $25), alongside a selection of jeans (around $35) and more eye-catching pieces such as an ‘80s Olympic sweater from Lake Placid, complete with silver clasps (“I’m a sucker for clasps,” Turner says).
Meanwhile, in the women’s section, we found some woven leather belts ($5-$15), a cream lace shrug ($26) and a cummerbund dotted with beads and stones ($12). We loved both the coin earrings ($24) and the twisted asymmetrical vinyl earrings from jahyu ($54). With the store closing at 10 p.m. (8 p.m. on Sundays) — and the promise of parties to boot — it’s bound to become a late night haunt.
Of A Kind Vintage & Vinyl, 1037 College St., 647-344-1091
