Donation protected
Dearest friends, neighbors and Quirk/Guido in LA clients,
We know it's been a weird past few weeks, and we also realize you've seen a lot of local small businesses making requests for help, making it hard to decide where to contribute. For that reason alone, thank you for even taking the time to visit our page.
It's been a really wild ride for Guido in LA & Quirk:
Before joining forces, we were two separate stores, around the corner from each other. Quirk was opened by fashion stylist, Melynda Choothesa, in March of 2016. Guido in LA opened shortly after, a chance meeting with owners, Jason & Victor Perez-Galloway, in line at the local CVS prompting a new friendship between the couple and Melynda. From there, we always tried to foster community and share clientele, so it was an easy choice to move into a space together after each of our individual stores being robbed, nearly losing our lives multiple times due to the ever-volatile/shifting downtown LA neighborhood, and also dealing with landlords (who seemed less than interested in helping us in any way). Some might think we are a little crazy, but the fact is we have always done it for the love of our clients, community and vintage fashion.
Fast forward to now: Just a little over a month ago, we celebrated our one year anniversary at our joint fashion district location, only to be forced to close the following week due to the pandemic. Guido and Quirk have both applied for SBA grants and loans but recently learned that the approval odds are very competitive. Larger small businesses with a payroll seem to be the current priority, and our little shop is just us.
We haven't come this far, however, to give up, so we are using this platform as a way to still be here for our clients & community after this is all over. Collectively, we have become a known part of the DTLA neighborhood over the last 4 years & love serving everyone who walks in our doors, from the old ladies who sew for designers in our building, to the trendy young guys looking for silk Hawaiian shirts & their girlfriends who need something for a wedding/everyone in between.
To show our gratitude, anything you contribute can be used as store credit to come shop with us when we reopen (for example: donate $20, get $20 to shop). You can also use your contribution towards professional fashion styling services. Your credit will never expire. 100% of your contribution will go toward our rent & related operating costs. No amount is too big or too small.
With love & wishes for your health & happiness, we look forward to seeing you in the shop again soon.
-Jason, Melynda, and Victor
More about us and our shop:
https://www.instagram.com/shopquirkla/
www.instagram.com/guidoinla
www.instagram.com/couturezen
(styling services)
Our Team:
Melynda Chootesa has been in LA for 15 years. After moving out at 15 and dropping out of high school, she has been working full time for 19 years, managing other people's shops and started reselling vintage in high school. She always dreamed of having her own resale shop someday and managed to make it happen after saving up money from years of fashion styling. She has lived and/or worked in Downtown LA for 12 years. One of her favorite hobbies is finding vintage designer items and reworking them. She dreams of someday using the store to launch her own clothing brand.
Jason and Victor (and their late dog, Guido, the namesake for the store) met in Downtown LA, when Victor was a server at Bottega Louis. Jason was a FIDM librarian and teacher, as well as a fashion historian who went on to start selling vintage on Etsy, later taking a chance and moving to LA to open their shop. Victor has been in Downtown LA for 13 years and Jason has been in the neighborhood for 4 years. Jason dreams of being able to someday meet Dolly Parton and Cher in the shop, hopefully on the same day.
We know it's been a weird past few weeks, and we also realize you've seen a lot of local small businesses making requests for help, making it hard to decide where to contribute. For that reason alone, thank you for even taking the time to visit our page.
It's been a really wild ride for Guido in LA & Quirk:
Before joining forces, we were two separate stores, around the corner from each other. Quirk was opened by fashion stylist, Melynda Choothesa, in March of 2016. Guido in LA opened shortly after, a chance meeting with owners, Jason & Victor Perez-Galloway, in line at the local CVS prompting a new friendship between the couple and Melynda. From there, we always tried to foster community and share clientele, so it was an easy choice to move into a space together after each of our individual stores being robbed, nearly losing our lives multiple times due to the ever-volatile/shifting downtown LA neighborhood, and also dealing with landlords (who seemed less than interested in helping us in any way). Some might think we are a little crazy, but the fact is we have always done it for the love of our clients, community and vintage fashion.
Fast forward to now: Just a little over a month ago, we celebrated our one year anniversary at our joint fashion district location, only to be forced to close the following week due to the pandemic. Guido and Quirk have both applied for SBA grants and loans but recently learned that the approval odds are very competitive. Larger small businesses with a payroll seem to be the current priority, and our little shop is just us.
We haven't come this far, however, to give up, so we are using this platform as a way to still be here for our clients & community after this is all over. Collectively, we have become a known part of the DTLA neighborhood over the last 4 years & love serving everyone who walks in our doors, from the old ladies who sew for designers in our building, to the trendy young guys looking for silk Hawaiian shirts & their girlfriends who need something for a wedding/everyone in between.
To show our gratitude, anything you contribute can be used as store credit to come shop with us when we reopen (for example: donate $20, get $20 to shop). You can also use your contribution towards professional fashion styling services. Your credit will never expire. 100% of your contribution will go toward our rent & related operating costs. No amount is too big or too small.
With love & wishes for your health & happiness, we look forward to seeing you in the shop again soon.
-Jason, Melynda, and Victor
More about us and our shop:
https://www.instagram.com/shopquirkla/
www.instagram.com/guidoinla
www.instagram.com/couturezen
(styling services)
Our Team:
Melynda Chootesa has been in LA for 15 years. After moving out at 15 and dropping out of high school, she has been working full time for 19 years, managing other people's shops and started reselling vintage in high school. She always dreamed of having her own resale shop someday and managed to make it happen after saving up money from years of fashion styling. She has lived and/or worked in Downtown LA for 12 years. One of her favorite hobbies is finding vintage designer items and reworking them. She dreams of someday using the store to launch her own clothing brand.
Jason and Victor (and their late dog, Guido, the namesake for the store) met in Downtown LA, when Victor was a server at Bottega Louis. Jason was a FIDM librarian and teacher, as well as a fashion historian who went on to start selling vintage on Etsy, later taking a chance and moving to LA to open their shop. Victor has been in Downtown LA for 13 years and Jason has been in the neighborhood for 4 years. Jason dreams of being able to someday meet Dolly Parton and Cher in the shop, hopefully on the same day.
Co-organizers (3)
Melynda Choothesa
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
Jason Galloway
Co-organizer
Victor Perez-Galloway
Co-organizer