Search
Close this search box.

Buying, Selling, Trading, & Upgrading Retro Finds: Retrograde Now Open on Highland Row

Friends since high school, Miles Smithers and Ronnie Sakaan have turned their passion for collecting memorabilia into a resale shop. Retrograde has been in the works since the beginning of the pandemic, and it’s finally here!

From up-cycling clothes to using paper bags, the major focus of the store is to promote sustainability, with style. Even if an item is messed up, Retrograde can resurrect and restore the pieces, so hold on to those long-lost looks. By doing their part to avoid waste going to a landfill, the store is preserving our past and saving our future with desirable second-hand clothing and figurines. 

“We have been collecting memorabilia and clothing for around five years, Miles explained. “We adore vintage clothes, and started a wardrobe of cool shirts we would find.  Studying the tags and stitching is stimulating to us. Ronnie and I  have accumulated so much over the years, too. We are collectors before resellers.

“Once we realized, “Wow, I can do this,” everything fell into place. It doesn’t feel like a job. We’re so addicted to finding the gems out there. We are thrilled to create a community with others who share this love, too.” Ronnie added. 

  Seeing as though the store recently opened, it is still a work in progress, but that has not stopped their inventory from growing rapidly. Each rack is curated carefully by genre. From sports gear,  legendary music tees, and character apparel to Carhartt jackets and Coogi sweaters, there’s an endless inventory to sift through. The shelves are filled with fly shoes, hats and collectible trinkets, too.

   Retrograde is on the Highland Strip in the University of Memphis are, rightfully so, as the store is bursting at the seams with authentic, old-school Memphis State gear. There is also a rack for $10 shirts and other clearance items as well—so if you’re a college student who’s ballin’ on a budget, you might want to pop in and peruse before the good stuff is gone.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Retro ♻️ Grade (@retrograde.mtn)

As they look to the future, Miles and Ronnie plan on offering incentives in store for customers over time. “People have been so kind and supportive, despite the hard times right now, and we want to give back,” Ronnie said. “We will offer this incentive called “free box Friday which will feature a box full of clothes, figures, records, and other goodies that are up for grabs.” 

   Retrograde is an ode to the past with the future in mind. Give them a visit. Who knows where this trip down memory lane will bring you.

Retrograde is located at 571 South Highland Street Memphis, Tennessee.

Follow the shop on Instagram to stay on top of their latest finds.

Share Article:

More Articles