Located on King Street East in Hamilton, Vintage Soul Geek’s beaming bright windows and high ceilings invoke an airy, spacious aesthetic for this retro walk-in closet. Sparkly accessories adorn exposed brick walls, storefront mannequins are perched in faux-fur hats, and wall-papered shelves are stocked with antique artifacts. The former Art Council of Hamilton building creates the perfect turn-key canvas to showcase Vintage Soul Geek’s prized jewels.
When owners Connie and Nik Bulajic purchased the retail space in February 2015, Vintage Soul Geek had been operating for five years at local tradeshows, and gaining an online following. Tired of the corporate grind, Nik decided to quit his day job as a lab technician and finally open that vintage shop his wife had been dreaming about since adolescence.
But Hamilton’s downtown core wasn’t necessarily their first pick. At one time, the now revitalized neighbourhood was considered the wrong side of the tracks. “As a lifelong Hamiltionian, there was never a reason to get off the bus here,” says Nik. “But now people are learning you can feel safe travelling past Ferguson Avenue.”
