It’s not the earthy aroma of incense. Not the faded letterman jackets on the wall. Not the Brother sewing machine draped with jeans. It’s Emanuel Edwards. And when he talks of the philosophy behind the Goody Vault, his vintage clothing store, you can tell it’s him that makes this place so special.

Edwards describes himself as “part historian, part stylist, part sewing artist.” He plies these trades in the Flat Iron Arts Building, where the business he brought to Chicago from Alabama in 2022 now has a cult following (English singer Charli XCX recently sent her stylist here).

Spanning the 1920s to the ’90s, these are not just clothes; they are people’s memories. I hear about senior cords worn to a 1954 Purdue graduation and an “S” baseball jersey from the dawn of the sport. Using unique stitching techniques, which he teaches in classes at the shop, Edwards makes the old new again. As a believer in authentic connections with clients, he counts on word of mouth to keep him going: “If you know, you know.” 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wicker Park