ARLINGTON, Texas—A clothing store in Downtown Arlington might easily blend into its surroundings as motorists whiz by. But the sight of brightly colored streetwear and shoes helps it stand out against the mass.

It was a gray Valentine’s Day, the road glistening near Stash VHS at 210 S. Mesquite St. because of rain from earlier that day.

Two customers exited the store with their highest praise.

“This store is cool as [expletive deleted],” one of those customers said.

Building connection

The front door opened to streetwear-inspired jackets, shirts and sports jerseys with a wall of Nikes and Jordans near the cash register. A customer showed an employee pictures of their clothing collection on their phone. The two could have just met or known each other for years, but it brought to point that this store was established to build connection within the community.

Co-owner Carlos Vega, 25, began working at Stash VHS in November 2024. Vega said the store itself is built on decades-long friendships and family, with vintage and streetwear fashion always being a part of their lifestyle.

“Honestly, it makes it so much easier,” Vega said. “We got close friends and family working with you. Makes it feel like it’s not even work, make it feel like it’s, you know, a good pastime.”

Vega said Jordans got him interested in streetwear as a child. Vega said he could not afford them at the time, but when he got his first pair, everything changed. It also served as a way to help him focus. Vega said it costs money to afford such things, and it made him put his head down and work hard.

Vega’s goal for Stash VHS’s future is to help the community more. He said Arlington is special to him because he was raised there, though he was born in Fort Worth.

“Even today, I’m just like, wow, we have a location here in Arlington, downtown, the heart of Arlington,” Vega said.

A desire for further growth

Sales associate, Jonathan Cruz, 24, expressed a similar sentiment about the future of the business. Cruz said he thinks, right now, Stash VHS should continue growing in order for the community to become more aware of their store. Cruz said he was originally from Dallas but has lived in Arlington since he was 9 or 10 years old.

Cruz said he also has a background with fashion and remembers when he was 13 or 14 years old when he asked his mother for a Supreme T-shirt.

“And they were like $34, and she was like, I’m not doing that,” Cruz said.

Gallery • 6 Photos

Gabriel Angels, team member, stands at the cash register on Feb. 19, 2026. Angels said having alternative clothing options is important because it helps people find a sense of self. (Jailah-Simone Anderson)

On Feb. 19—a sunnier day—two customers roamed about the aisle of clothing in the store. An employee watched them to make sure they didn’t need assistance.

Gabriel Angels, 24, is a team member at Stash VHS and is a close friend of the owner from before the store opened. Angels, too, said he had childhood experiences with fashion.

“I wore very of the time stuff, you know, like the snapbacks and colorful graphics,” Angels said.

Angels said it is important to have alternative clothing options because people can come and find the clothes they identify with. Angels said, in comparison to their store, big retail stores have several options in sizes, but it is all the same style.

Youth dictate fashion trends

“Here, you’re going to find something new on the racks every week,” Angels said. “We may not have something for you, but the next week we will.”

Angels said he thinks the best way to keep up with fashion trends is to connect to the youth. The University of Texas at Arlington is in close proximity to the store. Angels said that when students come in and let them know what they are looking for, it keeps them on their toes. Angels said Stash VHS keeps in touch with the youth by offering student discounts and events, like the Stash Fest on Nov. 8, 2025.

“We had an event, I want to say for November, for the first-year anniversary of the store, called Stash Fest,” Angels said. “We had flyers on campus and were encouraging students to come. It worked out.”

Stash VHS is more than just another clothing store. It has become a safe haven for students at UTA and the public to find their style. Stash VHS is run by fashion-lovers that have allowed the local community to explore their identity through clothing.