There is no other way to say it, the prices are darn reasonable at A-Hem. Add on your 10 percent discount (starving students only) and you have yourself a new outfit and more money saved.

Walking up to A-Hem Clothing Company on a sunny Saturday afternoon, I was disappointed to see that the sign on the door said “Closed.”

Frustrated, I looked through the window and saw owner Lacy Landre busy folding, hanging and perfecting her newest vintage finds. I gave a quick knock on the window and the sign on the door was quickly turned to “Open.”

The first thing that I noticed upon entering the store was how organized it was. Skirts and sweaters were on one rack, the dresses hung majestically on another rack, men’s shirts had their own rack, and lingerie was placed delicately in the back.

This is important to anyone who frequents vintage or thrift stores such as A-Hem. Knowing where to find what you want is key. It is a bit tedious, even for the most ardent shopper, to go through endless racks of clothes, not finding what you were looking for. The store’s organization is the first of many of Landre’s accomplishments.

Rummaging through the skirts and dresses, it is clear that Landre’s personal aesthetic reveals itself quite beautifully in the clothes that she selects. Many items in the store are chic, fun, sophisticated and very “now.”

Venturing toward the back end of the store, I discovered a small, but well-represented vintage shoe collection. Many boots and distinctive pumps stared back at me from their metal rack.

I picked up a peep toe, sling-back wedge and got goose-bumps. This black vixen of a shoe was adorned with metallic embroidery of flowery vines all over the wedge and cascading onto the front of the shoe. Such elegance could not even be found in the windows of Manolo Blahnik, but it is found at A-Hem.

At A-Hem, I fell in love. A flowing, vintage, leopard print skirt stole my heart, but not my wallet. Paying a mere $8.50 for this beautiful silken piece of sultry fabric, I was impressed.

Also, being a student, I received 10 percent off my purchase. I wanted to melt.

“I started off with cheaper prices,” Landre said, “to hopefully draw in more of a crowd.”

There is no other way to say it, the prices are darn reasonable at A-Hem. Add on your 10 percent discount (starving students only) and you have yourself a new outfit and more money saved. Amazing.

Landre also features an impressive collection of graphic T-shirts, men’s apparel and jewelry made by Milwaukee artists.

When asked how she initially thought of opening a store, Landre admits that she had been collecting clothes for well over a year, while she was waiting tables and bartending at local restaurants.

“I’m not waiting tables anymore, I wanted to steer clear of that,” Landre said with a smile.

A-Hem Clothing Company is located at 1625 E. Irving Place, right off of Farewell Avenue. Located by two bus lines (the 10 and the 15), it is sure to draw crowds from all vintage fashion lovers across the city.

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