Hold Up - About

Hold Up was founded with these values in mind. Primary founder and owner Ben Kazda loves clothes and being fashionable, but shopping at vintage stores was nearly always impossible. Working hard at working class jobs, Ben didn't have the money to pay for $200 used boots or $75 vintage pearl snap shirts or $175 previously owned motorcycle jackets like you might find at vintage stores on South Congress or North Loop in Austin, Texas.

Ben did some research into the market. He found out where most vintage shops bought their merchandise and how much they paid for the items they sold. He saw opportunity. Not only to buy vintage merchandise and sell it for a reasonable price, but also to showcase the items he liked such as belts, belt buckles, and cowboy boots. These items aren't often the focus of most vintage stores but are so fun to wear. While Hold Up's current line is much broader than buckles and boots, that's where we started.

After much preparation, Hold Up made its debut at First Thursday on South Congress in August 2007. Ben and Annette (Hold Up's co-founder and co-owner) rolled out a blanket with some belts, buckles, and a few other items on the hood of Ben's '65 cherry red Mustang. We received a positive response and sold a few things until the cops shut us down in true outlaw fashion. Not bad for a first night.

We then found one of our homes in the parking lot next St. Vincent de Paul during the monthly First Thursday event on South Congress in Austin. Deciding early on to be mobile and only sell at events instead of opening a brick and mortar store, we focused our energy on adding other gigs.

We have vended at every TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls (banked track roller derby) bout since July 2010 and appear annually at South by Southwest and the Lone Star Round Up. We’re continuing to expand our presence, adding events such as Austin City Limits Music Festival to our line-up in 2011. Someday, Hold Up will have a retail store, but for now you can find us at events in central Texas as well as online. We also have a private, appointment-only boutique.

Through it all, the Hold Up philosophy has remained the same. We sell vintage and rocker wear items at a price that most everyone can afford. There is no sticker shock at Hold Up. From the first, Hold Up has been an outlaw in the industry. We were told we would not make it at the prices we charge. They were wrong.

Hold Up wants it's customers to find something fun to wear or carry but still have cash left over to eat or get a beer. Hold Up sells clothing and accessories for both men and women, and the shopping experience is low-key. We exist for our clientele and wants to build long-term relationships so they come back again and again to find something new.

Hold Up proves that reasonably priced vintage is not an oxymoron and being an outlaw in fashion doesn't mean taking advantage of customers.

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