Jose Celoden calls himself a pioneer of reselling clothing. A Santa Barbara local and owner of Streets of Vintage Flea Market, he hosts pop-ups every month along Pardall Road in Isla Vista.

With his pop-ups, he moves his entire inventory from place to place.

“That is my workout,” he joked. “I love what I do, and I can’t complain.”

But the 25-year-old took a break from moving his inventory and hung up his clothes in a storefront, Streets of Vintage, Urban Clothing & Accessories on Embarcadero del Norte for the two weeks before Deltopia on April 6.  

The storefront opened in March, complete with a fresh paint job and business sign.

Streets of Vintage, Urban Clothing & Accessories was originally based in Oxnard but relocated to Ventura in April 2023. The Isla Vista store aimed to rotate different vendors through the space. 

But it shut its doors after a month of business. 

“We don’t have the proper employee system to be able to run the store over there, so our friend is taking over the store but it won’t be called Streets of Vintage,” said Celoden, one of the rotating hosts of the store.  

“We hoped that vendors would want to come in and take over the store, but it is really hard to maintain it like that,” he said.  

Streets of Vintage, Urban Clothing & Accessories was one of three clothing stores in the college town but the only vintage clothing store. 

But even though the storefront is closed, Celoden continues reselling and designing clothing.

His passion comes from watching his mother resell clothing throughout his childhood. He began reselling out of different pop-up shops and flea markets. For Celoden, being on Pardall Street is a priority for him.

“I am from the LGBTQ+ community so I try to bring a lot of different eclectic pieces that cater to men and women,” he said.

Celoden’s goal is to get people out of their style comfort zones. 

“I know that men don’t like to shop in the women’s section. They get embarrassed,” he said. “I have noticed that for many years now, but having the versatile selection in the men’s section to bring out a crop top shirt for a man gives them a little more confidence.” 

Alongside his fashion goal, he hopes to uplift other resellers that work out of their homes or cars. 

He also lines his racks with his original designs. Designing clothes was always a possibility for him as he remembers having a sewing machine in his childhood home but never learned how to use it. But in 2010 while working at Wells Fargo, one of his colleagues taught him how to thread the needle.

He creates matching sets of shorts and shirts, using scrubs donated to thrift stores. 

“(Shorts and shirts) are easiest to do because it is cutting and sewing a straight line,” he said. “The skill comes easy to me.” 

Aside from the matching set, his other favorite pieces of clothing are flowy blouses and patterned pants. 

Celoden says students can expect a diverse selection of clothes at a cheaper price than most resellers. And for his pricier items, he is open to negotiations on pricing. 

As an example, he pointed to a vintage Oakland Athletics baseball jacket priced at $375. 

He said he would agree if someone offered to buy it for $300. 

“I am always up for negotiating, especially here in this area where students are limited in their income,” he said. “I want them to take it home.”

Besides his inventory, Celoden says his techno music choice also sets him apart from other pop-ups. But he advises the community to check out all the markets.

“Be your own judge for yourself,” he said. 

Celoden’s next market will be on May 18 at the Bombazar Vintage Market in Isla Vista along Pardall Road.