VINTAGE LEN.T.JUELA

Courtesy of  Len.t.juela

 Len.t.juela is a new vintage store in San Juan and it's as delightful as its quirky name, a small cozy space filled with the old but also the new on the theory that mixing both can, according to its owner Valeria Bosch, "create a unique outfit."

There is something magical about the word vintage: after all, much like alchemy, an artifact or piece of clothing branded vintage is suddenly transformed from unimportant old object into desirable and sought out consumer good. The old, in other words, needs not die. Label it vintage and it acquires a new lease on life.

And so it is at Len.t.juela, which is nicely organized around a small, carefully edited selection of vintage clothes spanning the 50s through the 80s and early 90s. There are blouses, skirts and dresses, all of which Bosch picks with care while on trips to New York, Miami and Arizona. The clothes are pretty and well cared for. There are even some items for men and for children, but most of the stock here is strictly for the ladies.

Newer items include selections from stores Len.t.juela has forged a business collaboration with as well as creations from young local designers. One stand out is Crystal Torres, a jewelry designer of skill and whimsy who creates ingenious necklaces sporting a bicycle motif. Delicate and smart,

"Corre Lola" necklaces by Crystal

these well crafted pieces are so affordably priced that you might even decide to buy more than one. (They sell for $20 apiece)

Len.t.juela's distinctive flair is a reflection of Bosch' love of design. In fact, she is studying interior design but has yet to complete her courses.

The store is rich in details: Like the working gramophone that decorates the short hallway leading inside and the shelf hanging above the check-out counter lined up with small collectibles: an old clock, a tiny robot figure, decorative dishes, metal ducks, a small lamp, an old polaroid camera, the iconic Kubrick cube. None of which are for sale but contribute to giving the store a fun, homey ambience. "They give the store a vintage look," says Bosch.

A white shelf unit with a grid design showcases a collection of vintage bags, each piece accorded its own square as if it were a work of art. On the walls, photography-based artwork by local artist Abey Charron.

In the airy main room, bathed in strong daylight streaming in from a large window,a lamp sits above a display case. Its shade brims with costume jewelry, a novel way of showing off brooches and rings. The stenciled black motif on a white wall,courtesy of a previous tenant, anchors the store in the modern age even as all around the past holds court.

By the way, the name of the store is a quirky spelling of lentejuela, Spanish for sequins, those sparkly disc-shaped beads used to light up clothing and bags.

Len.t.juela which Bosch runs with the help of her boyfriend Bryant Huffman, is clearly a labor of love. "When you are passionate about something," she says, "you do it with love." 

Len.t.juela #1820 Loiza St. Entrance on Jefferson St.

WED through FRIDAY: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.;SAT 10 a.m.- 7 p.m.

787.408.7111

I LAUGH WITH THE EYES THAT HAVE KNOWN TEARS
Roque Dalton

Pit stop on Loiza St.: Café Tresbé

So you dropped by Len.t.juela and worked up a healthy appetite.

Then head over to Tresbé,  the open air eatery that recently opened on Loiza St. (just one block down the street from Len.t.juela)  Operating out of a reconfigured shipping container painted a cheerful canary yellow, this fun food spot offers appetizing selections which you can enjoy while sitting al fresco at tables set out on a wood deck under the shade of a beach umbrella and the foliage of nearby trees. The menu includes hamburgers, artisanal empanadillas (stuffed with goodies like eggplant /cod, cheese/onions, meat, chicken or shrimp), tacos, ceviche ,and grilled churrasco. Owner Mario Ormaza takes pride in serving good, fresh food at affordable prices. As an environmentally aware entrepreneur, Ormaza collects rainwater to use in cleaning up and serves take out food in biodegradable containers made out of plant fibers.

Tresbé: #1765 Loiza St., between Diez de Andino and Palmas Streets. (next door to Goyco Public School)
787-294-9604

Photography by Denise Blasor

My hands are a city, a lyre
And my hands are afire
And my mother plays Corelli
while my hands burn.
Gregory Corso

© 2012 Lorraine Blasor All Rights Reserved☺