Retrofit : Proudly Midwestern!

Retrofit Culture is not like any other retail store in Central Illinois.

This unorthodox storefront is well known for mixing vintage style with fresh new art, in a way that has captured the hearts of the local community. And owners, Tahnee and Matt Lathrop, aren't allowing that to be a one-sided venture. They actively give back to the community with unique programs meant to help people often marginalized by society, with nothing expected in return.

The store is great, and so is the supportive, loving community it has nourished and inspired.

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After moving to the moderately sized town of Bloomington-Normal from the much larger city of Chicago in 2011, Tahnee and Matt Lathrop opened Retrofit Culture in its original location on Madison Street in 2013. According to Tahnee, the main reason behind opening the store was just to get some of the items she had already collected out of her house. In fact, in 2015 she told local newspaper The Pantagraph that she “could either become a hoarder or open a business.” Luckily, for everyone in central Illinois, Retrofit Culture was born and Bloomington-Normal was changed for the better.

Ironically, Tahnee initially wasn't even confident that she would be able to fill that first location with merchandise. However, just 2 years later, Retrofit expanded into its current location at 1014 W. Washington Street in Bloomington, which is twice the size of that previous store.

Retrofit : A Store With Deep, Historical Roots

The location that Retrofit is currently housed in was chosen not for its size, but for its history. The building was originally home to West Side Clothing, which called it home for than a hundred years. As soon as Tahnee saw it, she knew that it would be the store’s new home. The west side of town doesn’t get nearly as many stores as the rest of Bloomington due to unearned stigma, and she wanted to change that.

That’s one of the best things about Retrofit and its owners. Even though they’re not central Illinois natives, they've come to love and respect the history of their chosen town. Tahnee and Matt have quickly become an essential part of Bloomington and it wouldn’t be the same without them. In that way, they’re creating their own history, too.

Unique, Quirky, Hyper-local Retail Lines

Retrofit is known for its unique collection of both new and vintage Americana home decor as well as hand-crafted items made by mostly local artists and vendors. They sell jewelry, t-shirts, wall art, sarcastic and funny pins and greeting cards, and even various plants and succulents. Walking into the store is like a warm hug from a close, slightly quirky friend. You never know what you’re going to get, and Tahnee likes to change it up regularly to keep people on their toes.

She also hosts Maker’s Pop-Ups, which allow the vendors to physically come to the store and sell directly to shoppers. It’s a fun, great way for people to meet the wonderful creators that live in the neighborhood. It’s one of the best parts of Retrofit… it really is a family.

Community Involvement

Besides being an awesome retail location, Retrofit is also well known for how it supports the local community.

Since 2017, Retrofit has been home to The Giving Fence. Members of the community come together every winter to donate coats, hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, etc. which are then lovingly sorted through and added to the fence just outside of the store. With a “take what you need, leave what you can” spirit, people in need can simply stop by and take what they need at zero cost to them. On a usual year, around 1000 coats are donated and most of them are quickly taken away to good homes.

As wonderful and community oriented as Retrofit is though, they have still been hit hard by the current economic and health crisis. But, instead of closing, Tahnee maintains a strong social media presence, choosing to shift her focus to Instagram sales and home deliveries.

Retrofit is staffed only by Tahnee and Matt, which means they are directly feeling the financial strain from COVID-19. But they haven’t let that bring them down. Their optimism and positivity can be felt even through social media networks. Tahnee especially is an endless light in the Bloomington-Normal community and it would be an honor to be able to give back even a small portion of what her and her husband have already given to so many.