Meet the five 19-year-olds opening a vintage store in Braddon

Posted on 2 April, 2025

What began as a simple side hustle to make some extra pocket money has now turned into an evolving vintage clothing empire.

Opening in the space formally occupied by Trilogy Skateboards on Lonsdale Street in Braddon, Canberra Garms has curated a collection that speaks to both streetwear enthusiasts and vintage aficionados alike.

Owned and operated by Gaby Leydman, Thomas Rush, Amaru Ley, Aiden Hellyer, and Finn Harmer, the friends have turned their love for thrifting into something more. Talk about wholesome activities for a group of 19-year-old boys.

Friends since their playground days – some since kindergarten, others from high school – they began seriously hunting for thrifted gems in late 2022 whilst wrapping up Year 11. As their collections grew from personal passion to overflowing stashes, they realised they needed an outlet.

Enter Depop – a social e-commerce site where users can buy or sell preloved clothes, shoes, accessories, and more. There was just one small hitch: the minimum age requirement. They had to be 18 to start an account.

Luckily, Amaru’s mum kindly offered her account and so they decided to begin listing their collection.

“We started to make money on it and realised we could actually do something with this” says Amaru.

 

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Before they knew it, they’d claimed the title of the number one Depop seller in Australia and cracked the global Top Five. Tom’s parents’ garage transformed into an impromptu storage facility, bursting at the seams until they moved into their own warehouse.

After hosting a few market stalls with Fashion Thrift Society, they figured it was time to open a bricks-and-mortar store.

“We want the store to be a reflection of us; we’d like to become a part of the community within Braddon and raise awareness around secondhand shopping,” explains Tom.

Stocking iconic brands such as Dickies, Harley Davidson, and Ed Hardy, alongside athletic staples from Adidas and Nike, completed with classic American sports merchandise and Crumpler bags, they draw inspiration from a diverse range of style icons – from soccer legend David Beckham to hip-hop artists like Lil Yachty and A$AP Rocky, and basketball legends such as Dennis Rodman.

The boys say that the store will embody a unique intersection of sports, music, and street culture.

Looking ahead, they intend to expand their women’s offerings with early 2000s treasures that would make Paris Hilton say “That’s hot”  – think Juicy Couture velour tracksuits, bedazzled Ed Hardy baby tees, and coveted Coach monogram bags.

Thrift responsibly, Canberra.

Pictured left to right: Thomas Rush, Gaby Leydman, Finn Harmer, Amaru Ley, and Aiden Hellyer
Image: Georgie Smith