We were lucky to catch up with Elhom Karbassi recently and have shared our conversation below.
Elhom , appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea
I grew up thrifting and browsing so many antique malls with me mom, her sisters, and my grandma. Anytime we were all together that’s all we did! I also grew up with a immigrant dad from Iran who put a lot of stock and care into appearances and giving off the look of wealth, even if the wealth wasn’t there. This combination led to me getting a very unique but I like to think great sense of style and an eye for design, forgot to mention my mom is also an artist.
As I got older I really had this idea of making the world a better place through acts of service and working in the international non-profit sector. I spent years abroad working and also traveling and being blessed to see lots of parts of the world, the colors, the clothes, the art were always my favorite parts. When I settled back in the states in 2018 in Chicago I was working as a domestic and sexual violence prevention educator. Anyone who has worked a community facing job of a non-profit knows the pay is not ideal and the work is draining. To supplement and as a tool to keep my mental health in a better place I spent a lot of time thrifting and going to estate sales. I was selling clothes on the side as a supplement and because it brought me a lot of joy to help folks find outfits and pieces that make them feel confident and affirmed.
In early 2020 I was getting very disillusioned with the non-profit industrial complex, I was tired of watching rich white people make oodles of money on the backs of Black and brown usually femmes who were being exploited because of their care and personal needs to make the community a better place. I quit my job early March with plans to enter back into the service industry and to keep selling vintage on the side while I decided next steps, at this point I still thought potentially grad school because the idea of making vintage my full time job felt unrealistic. However 2020 obviously had different plans.
As the pandemic came into full swing I was unable to enter back into the service industry and started putting all my time into selling pieces online, doing instagram story sales and safe distance delivering pieces to people to help bring some joy in such a rough time. As things started to come back to a bit more in person events I would pop up in yards, be at markets, began hosting markets and eventually found the store front in Ravenswood! The rent was affordable enough that I told myself just to go for it and try! And here we are! Her and Ziba has been here for a bit over a year, I’ve hosted over 4 really large community vending events and this fall will be rebranding in Ziba Market as I move to Humboldt Park Chicago into a bigger space that feels more my community since I live near by and have many community organizing folks and friends in the area.
Elhom , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I have been into vintage for as long as I can remember. My mom’s family loves antique malls, goodwill trips, and yard sales. My whole childhood and still to this day when we get together that’s what we do together. This gave me a really good skill set in sourcing and finding great pieces amongst piles of things as well as a love for the dig.
As I got more into building a collection I was also always buying things for my friends that I thought would look good on them or would help them feel more affirmed in their identity journey. Friends kept trying to pay me and I didn’t want to take money from them cause it brought my so much joy just to help folks feel good in their skin. However unfortunately we exist in a society where you need money to survive. I started slowly selling pieces and it has developed into what it is today. I still find so much joy in helping folks find unique pieces and feeling good in them. The fact that what I do changes every day and every person I work with is different it makes it so much fun and never boring.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I think I’m constantly trying to find a way to stay true to my values while participating in capitalism and commerce. I see so many people exploiting others to make a profit and it makes me sad to watch. But then it’s even more upsetting to see them “succeeding” in ways that I would like to but that I don’t feel comfortable doing because I want to be supporting local artist and other small businesses not using them to my advantage. However I know there has to be ways to be financially comfortable as well as staying in line with my values and uplifting other entrepreneurs and artists with me instead of using them. This is a lesson I’m constantly working on and trying to find my balance in as I grow and learn more about myself and the business.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
I think when I first got my brick and mortar I really thought that meant I was done with markets and that I had made it into a space and that meant I was gonna just have folks coming in and it would be a little easier than my previous work of hauling my clothes from market to market every weekend. I was wrong. Which looking back obviously I was gonna be wrong.
The brick and mortar is amazing and I have some incredible regulars who come all the time to see what’s new and to support. However I still have to go to markets, I still have to be out there getting the word out about my space and networking all the time (which is definitely a skill I’m still trying to perfect). But I would say my best source for new clients is for sure markets, I meet some of my most dedicated customers and biggest fans at different markets around the city.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: herandziba
- Facebook: Facebook.com/herandziba
Image Credits
@freshed_squeezed – Daija Guy