Fresh Direct

Life+Times takes a look inside Bobby From Boston, one of the most-sought after vintage destinations for men. Here, Bobby tells us about his 1960’s influences, why his shop is like a living room, and above all, why Bobby From Boston has both a heart and a soul. (Photos: Satoru Imai)

“What I feel makes Bobby From Boston different from all other vintage stores is the influences that I’ve had throughout my life and brought to my business. There aren’t many black people in the vintage business, especially not men. I never had the opportunity of having a mentor that looked like me. Instead I was heavily influenced at a young age by the 1960’s – James Bond, the bands from Stax, Volt and Motown records – I wanted to dress like all those guys. I was sixteen. I’ve also been influenced by the British and New England lifestyle: fishing, hunting, lawn sports. Nautical and New England coastal styles have been important. My attending a private school in New England paired with the classic American Ivy League style of men’s dress have definitely had an impact on the shop. My African-American cultural influences including Jazz, R&B, teenage trends from the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s and blacks in the military cannot be forgotten or under stated. Ever since then I’ve tried to keep all these diverse influences and that sense of style geared toward the shop. The shop has heart and it has soul. We like people to feel like they’re in their own home when they’re here so they can have the full experience of hanging out and talking all while looking and shopping for the classic pieces of vintage that we offer. You get a good feeling when you come in the door and sometimes you never want to leave. I feel more like a host or an MC than a shopkeeper.” – Bobby Garnett, owner of Bobby From Boston