Meet the family behind Metro Vancouver's freshest Black-owned vintage store
After spotting vibrant racks of clothes inside a Stoxx Vintage, it’s hard to walk past as the lively music draws you in. Apart from curating clothing that feels nostalgic or refreshing, this family-run business emphasizes creating an inclusive store that feels like home.
“It’s all love,” Tricia Hill, the store’s co-owner, said.
There are not many stores quite like Stoxx Vintage and not many Black-owned vintage stores in Vancouver.
Since opening a location in Kingsgate Mall, the store has specialized in curating urban, eccentric, and down-to-earth styles.
However, when the Hill family moved to Vancouver and opened its store in 2019, it was a rough start as COVID-19 cases emerged in BC, and the province was locked down.
“We thought we’d have to close and not sure on how we were gonna go forward,” Hill said.
Thanks to a little creativity, the store was able to stay open after utilizing Instagram.
“We just started posting, and then we had to close for a few months, and our nine-year-old at the time posted that we’re going to close … due to COVID. And when he made that announcement, it started to gain traction of people liking him.”
Along with some paid advertising, Stoxx Vintage started to gain some traction as it began selling online and came up with solutions to continue working through the pandemic.
After long days of hard work, “we were able to pay the bills and stay open,” Hill said.
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Stoxx Vintage now has three locations: Kingsgate Mall in Vancouver, Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby, and Woodgrove Mall in Nanaimo. There is also a location in Trinidad and Tobago where seasonal unsold items from the Metro Vancouver locations are sent to prevent them from going into the landfill, Hill said.
In addition to achieving its goal to be accessible and create change, Stoxx Vintage is found in Metro Vancouver malls to meet shoppers where they are.
“‘Pushing it forward’ for me means putting myself where I think that you think that I don’t belong and making a success of it where we’re moving units and being part of the solution,” Hill said.
A love for “old rusty things” is one Hill and her husband have bonded over. And over the years, they’ve passed down the same passion to their sons, who helped grow the store.
Tricia Hill’s oldest son’s Keion, Nicholas and Trey Stoxx. (Submitted)
Tricia Hill and her husband and youngest son. (Submitted)
Hill’s youngest son, Aiden Stoxx, is a face you might recognize most from several posts that have reached millions of viewers. It’s hard to miss Aiden online as he is known for his energy, passion, and charisma when highlighting unique items sold in the shop.
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With the help of her family, the Hills aims to use fashion as a tool to stand out and better our world through sustainable fashion.
At Stoxx Vintage, apart from making it an inclusive place for customers, Hill said she aims to create an environment for her staff, who are primarily Black men, so they can rely on a place to be seen.
“It’s a happy place,” Hill added.
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