First Edition Takes Over Former Upper Playground Space in Sacramento

If you’ve walked or driven by street-wear boutique/art gallery Upper Playground at 2524 J Street recently, you’ve probably noticed the blacked out windows and lack of any sort of activity. No rad T-shirts in the windows, no art. And the hanging walrus sign is gone. What the fuck, right? Here’s the skinny on what’s happening: 22-year-old art collecting, street-wear and fashion obsessing Aaron Hearing (who worked at U.P. for years) is opening up his own men’s-focused shop in the space called First Edition. “It’s been the dream since day one to own a shop,” Hearing recently told Submerge. “It’s finally materializing into what I always wanted it to be.” Hearing’s resume also includes stints at Barneys New York in San Francisco, Heritage Footwear and Apparel in Roseville and Zumiez and he holds a degree from FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising).

Hearing assured us that he and San Francisco-based Upper Playground founder Matt Revelli, who also is the editor of Juxtapoz art magazine, are still cool. No beef, no bad blood. “He’s a great guy,” Hearing said, “He’s smart as hell.” Hearing pointed out that because Revelli isn’t in Sacramento it was tough for him to manage the shop and that because U.P. had pigeonholed itself by carrying too few brands, it was simply time to close up shop. “He wanted to test out the Sac market,” Hearing said. “It was great, but the only problem is we were selling T-shirts. How many people in Midtown will buy three T-shirts a week and then come back and buy more?” Hearing plans on carrying what U.P. did and then some: jeans by Crate Denim, “it’s all vintage denim in modern fits. All the denim is older than 1973,” men’s skin care products by Baxter of California, and even random smaller items like condoms. “We picked up a few other things like Sir Richard’s Condom Company. Totally random, but it was something I had to pick up.” For every condom sold, Sir Richard’s donates one to a developing country. “Same thing as Toms Shoes, which we are going to carry also,” Hearing said. “A lot of the brands in here we are going to be carrying have a story, a purpose.”

First Edition will open on Feb. 12, 2011 Second Saturday. After that they’ll have normal hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. And just because it’s a men’s-focused shop, ladies should not be intimidated to shop for their BFs or hubbies, as Hearing’s super friendly 19-year-old sister will more than likely be behind the counter working. Even if she’s not, you’ll be greeted by either Hearing himself or one of his close friends. “This is going to be a place where, it’s weird using the word ‘safe,’ but it will be,” Hearing said. “People can come in with no pressure to buy anything and just kick it until you have to go to dinner.”