Fashion as Activism: A new vintage thrift clothing store with focus on civil rights era opens at 36th and Lancaster

February 13, 2023

Blk Ivy, a new concept clothing shop dedicated to the fashion of the civil rights era, has opened in West Philly, at 3605 Lancaster Ave.

Created by well-known Philly sustainability focused fashion icon, Kimberly McGlonn, the store will stock hand-curated thrift and vintage items associated with the fashion of the civil rights movement from 1954 (Brown v. Board of Education, when the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional) to 1972 (the presidential campaign of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to be elected to U.S. Congress).

The opening of this shoppable museum took place last week, just as Black History Month kicked off across the country.

This concept shop will bring sustainably sourced fashion to a larger audience, particularly those interested in vintage and thrift shopping. The retail destination highlights the style of civil rights figures such as James Baldwin, Lorraine Hansberry, and Angela Davis with a particular focus on their connection to the city of Philadelphia. The store also showcases rare vintage vinyl, first edition books, and current authors writing about the continuing fight for civil rights.

Blk Ivy is McGlonn’s second retail store. Her first venture, Grant Blvd was founded in 2017 to create stylish apparel from recycled clothing and to reduce recidivism by creating training and living wage employment opportunities. Grant Blvd is one of the largest female Black-owned businesses in Philadelphia, and now McGlonn is preparing to launch a flagship location on University of Pennsylvania’s campus (at 140 S. 34th St.) later this spring.

For more information on both ventures, visit: www.blkivythrift.com and www.grantblvd.com.