Meet the Vault: Billy of Local 151

by Elizabeth McCullough May 25, 2023

Get to know Billy, the owner of Local 151, featured at The Vault Collective Rhode Island. We asked Billy about how he got started in vintage clothing, his favorite bands, and his best finds. Here are his responses:

I got into selling vintage through eBay - I was selling a little bit of everything on eBay already, and then I realized that people were selling the clothes that I wore when I was younger, in the 90’s, and it kind of just snowballed from there. And it became an obsession - I’ve only been selling vintage for like two or three years, so it hasn’t been that long.

Billy's Local 151 sign by Marin Griffith

I’m kind of fashion-broken, I think, but I’ve always liked clothes. Brimfield was the first thing I did, and then I met a bunch of people. From there I started getting connections into selling, on the street and in markets. I got my business’s name, Local 151, from an R.E.M. song Oddfellows Local 151. Outside of vintage clothing I’ve also always really liked music. One of my favorite bands is The Grateful Dead.

I try to tailor the items I curate for my booth at The Vault specifically to that store. I gravitate towards older stuff - I really like 70’s-era vintage a lot, specifically womenswear. And then anything older than that, I get super excited about. I’m sort of all over the place.

My favorite piece of vintage I’ve found was a 1930’s Abercrombie and Fitch jacket. Besides the fact that it was covered in dirt when I found it, it was in really good condition, and I sold it for a lot of money. I wish I hadn’t sold it, because it was really nice.

Billy's booth at The Vault RI.

My favorite thing about selling at The Vault is the other vendors. I knew a few of the vendors before I started my booth here, and they recommended I apply. Everybody’s really, really nice. It’s a good community and an awesome place to sell my stuff.

You can shop Billy's collection, Local 151, here!