(Image: Break Away)

By Matt Dowell

This weekend will bring a celebration of the continuation of a mission of reuse and community on Broadway as Magpie Thrift hosts its grand opening.

On E Pike, the guys behind a vintage shop that opened on the street last year are also trying to build something new. They have a few things they’d like to clarify. Though their brick and mortar spot is new, they’ve been in the neighborhood for awhile.

And their name — Break Away— has nothing to do with the split from their co-tenant next door at Late Night Vintage.

And their prices are negotiable!

“There’s a big misconception. People think we broke away from Late Night,” laughs co-owner Eddie Duran. “But we were Break Away before this store was even a thing. We’re still friends [with the Late Night crew]. We hang out.”

Break Away Vintage Market has taken the east half of the upstairs space in the auto-row era building that has been home over the years to cafes and nonprofits before its latest incarnation in retail. Someday, a nine-story mixed-use building will stand at the corner. These days, the spacious former auto showroom is now divided down the middle by a makeshift wall of clothes racks separating Break Away and Late Night Vintage.

Break Away was one of the original vendors at Late Night’s vintage clothing market when it opened on E Pike in 2022. They stepped out from the Late Night umbrella last October. Besides the upstairs room, Break Away has also filled out a cavernous downstairs, another fun space to explore.

“It’s like a maze,” said Duran, “We have so many different rooms.”

“We’ve got cool music, video games, foosball. You can just come hang out, get lost in here.”

The Renton-based ownership team, which also includes Nevin Poyneer and Tanner Callies, started together in high school not too long ago. There are some things to learn: taxes, regulations, payroll, management.

“I’m only 24,” said Duran. “It’s been surreal and I’m still catching up.”

But their history with vintage clothing runs deep.

“We were just some seniors in high school at Lindbergh High. We started going to thrift stores for fun. We were always kind of into fashion, but none of us came from rich families or anything. We had to find a way to style ourselves.”

(Image: Break Away)

They started selling what they’d found to friends at school, then threw together their first pop up store in August 2019. They went online during the pandemic, had a stint in Tacoma when the pandemic let up, then made it up to Seattle.

“We were at Cal Anderson Park for two years, 5-6 days a week. People started knowing our name.”

Then, two years ago, they got an opportunity to be a vendor at Late Night. “It’s crazy how it all happened. I signed up for a meeting thinking it was a one day market. Then they’re talking about a per month and a year lease.”

“I talked to my guys, plugged all the stuff in, and it was a seamless transfer.”

“It was such a blessing. The first day in the market was the first day it started raining. To not be at Cal Anderson and to have a roof over our heads was a dream come true.”

Over the years, Late Night gave them more and more space. “We performed really well. We already had a background finding the good stuff and curating good vintage, so that wasn’t anything new to us.”

Duran says the store is just another stepping stone for Break Away — the brand.

“I would love for Break Away to be a household name. I see it like Nike or Stüssi.”

“We’ve got a store in Capitol Hill on Pike Street with giant windows and three stories of vintage clothes. There’s no stopping it now.”

(Image: Break Away)

They get customers from all around the world, particularly with the Pike/Pine tourist foot traffic. That’s helpful for the business.

But they think local folks haven’t connected their new store with their neighborhood roots.

“We were the kids from Cal Anderson – we’re here man! We’re hometown heroes. We’re the same squad. Come see us.”

They’ll let you haggle! Duran said he thinks they’re the only store in Capitol Hill where you can do that.

“We have something for everyone. Just come in and I’m sure you’ll find something. If the price is a problem, we’re negotiable!”

Because ultimately it’s about more than the clothes, which Duran both curates and creates. He sees Break Away as a concept. How will you break away from whatever’s holding you back? Looking good and feeling good is just one way to get there.

“The most satisfying thing is seeing somebody on the streets of Capitol Hill wearing something that I sold them, or even better that I made them. They’re just wearing it because they like it, they enjoy it, they feel good in it.”

Break Away is at 517 E Pike, next to the Late Night Vintage mall. Both stay open until midnight on the weekend. Learn more on the Break Away website.

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