Off Shore / On Shift vol.4 Running a community through a vintage shop by the sea
Nanamica’s style carries the free, relaxed mood of the sea. That atmosphere also quietly overlaps with the way people naturally connect with one another. Born and raised by the coast in Enoshima, Ito runs a vintage shop that has become a place where people gather. We followed the community that has grown beyond the boundaries of a shop, and the everyday moments that flow through it.
Opening a community house where people gather through a vintage shop by the sea
Born and raised in Enoshima, Ito now runs several spaces, including his vintage shop ACE GENERAL STORE, along with a hair salon and a restaurant, all housed within the same building where he serves as owner. The people who gather here share a love of the sea and are drawn to the atmosphere of the place. “This building used to be the inn Enoshimaso, run by my grandfather and father. A carpenter friend and I renovated it together, and before we knew it, it’s been eleven years. There’s a gallery here, and I sometimes make costumes and merchandise for musician friends. We’ve even added a band studio and hold events. We do all kinds of things here.”
“The sea is… almost like a part of me. If I go too long without getting in, something in my body starts to feel off. When that feeling comes, I think, ‘Alright, time to get back in the water,’ and I reset myself in the sea. There’s not much of a boundary between my private life and work — I’m usually somewhere near the ocean. I like both shortboards and longboards when it comes to surfing, and in the morning I check the waves and think about how I’ll spend the day. But I also love going to the mountains. I climb rocky areas sometimes. The other day I was talking with friends about how the sea and the mountains might be like yin and yang. I think moving between the two naturally keeps me balanced. Both are essential to me.”
The vintage shop is run by Ito and his partner. Ito handles the design, while his partner takes care of the dyeing. In the workspace inside the shop, they sometimes create one-of-a-kind pieces using a silk screen. “It’s been about seven years since I started printing things myself.” Two or three times a year, he travels to New York to source vintage clothing, selecting mainly pieces from the 1960s and 1970s. Rather than focusing on brands, they choose items based on “what we genuinely feel is good right now.” “I like things that still carry the touch of human hands — from before everything became mass-produced. Something a little unique, with character… like it has a pulse running through it.” It’s this sensibility that draws fans from afar to visit ACE GENERAL STORE.
“To be honest, if it were just a vintage shop, it would probably sell better in Tokyo. But here, people won’t come if you’re simply putting things on display. That’s why I think of this place more like a community house — creating an atmosphere where people want to gather and make the effort to come.” When deciding which shops move in, he prioritizes whether they share the same mindset rather than focusing on conditions. Even the troubles that arise when people gather have been worked through slowly, deepening the bonds between them. “Sometimes the closeness between people can be difficult. But whenever that happens, we talk it through — saying things like, ‘I feel like there’s a little love missing here. What do you think?’ Since it’s a place we build together, we’ve always kept moving forward through constant dialogue.”
Ito says he doesn’t wear vintage clothing all the time — he often chooses simple, contemporary pieces as well. “Of course I wear vintage, but I also wear modern clothes like anyone else. People tend to assume I’m particular about only wearing vintage, but that’s not really the case. Especially when I’m working, I often go for simple combinations that are easy to move in.” The wide straight-cut field pants he’s wearing now have a vintage-like appearance that could easily be mistaken for an old piece. “If I were wearing these in the shop, someone might ask, ‘Where did you source those?’” he laughs. “They blend in perfectly with vintage clothing.”
Ito is also wearing an open-collar shirt made from an original Panama fabric using organic cotton and recycled polyester. The material has a mesh-like structure with small gaps, giving it excellent breathability and a cool, refreshing feel. Its relaxed silhouette allows for easy movement, and the smooth, dry texture of the fabric is another distinctive feature. “This is something I’d want to throw on right after getting out of the ocean in summer. I think surfers would really appreciate it.” It’s a light and comfortable piece that naturally fits both time spent by the sea and a day in town.
Yota Ito
At age 24, he opened the vintage shop ACE GENERAL STORE in a building passed down through generations of his family. Through surfing, music, art, and more, he has created a community where diverse cultures intersect. The shop is located in the shopping street of Enoshima, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, with a long-standing family-run restaurant, surf school, and music studio situated just behind it.
