An Emporium of Vintage Style at Guvnor's

Fifth Avenue in the North Slope has, in recent years, become home to a hodgepodge of vintage and thrift stores. Every weekend, legions of shoppers descend on the stretch, some looking for a bargain, others looking for a whole new wardrobe.

One of the newest, and most fun, of these stores is , which opened last year in what was formerly a dilapidated mattress store, most recently home to a vendor known as The Sock Man.

Walking into the cavernous store is like walking into some sort of Museum of American clothing. The initial impression can be a little overwhelming, but once you let your eyes adjust the store is easy to navigate.

Up front are vintage housewares and knick-knacks, like glasses, records, jewelry, books, roller skates, and an antique motorcycle or two. Beyond that, men's clothes are on the left, women's on the right. Every article of clothing imaginable, in some cases dating back to the 1930s, is up for grabs here, all affordably priced.

"Eclectic" is a word that comes to mind—leather boots and jackets, Oxfords and rockabilly shirts, vintage nightgowns, 80s hair band t-shirts, 40s slip dresses, army fatigues, you name it. At a whopping 1,900 square feet, you can get lost exploring all the merchandise (and that's not necessarily a bad thing).

The store is the brainchild of Suzette Sundae, who can usually be found accompanied by her dog, Dottie.

"I started selling vintage clothes 20 years ago this month," said Sundae. "That's when I opened my first shop, in Boston."

Her travels brought her to the East Village, where she ran a punk-inspired vintage shop named—what else—Suzette Sundae. Her next move brought her to Monkey Whistles and Motorbikes, which was located next door (where the is now). When this space came up for rent, Suzette jumped on the opportunity and began creating her dream store.

But the dream wasn't just about pretty vintage clothes and accessories. A big part of that dream was integrating music, too.

"I love to sing, and I wanted to incorporate music into the store as much as possible," she said. "All the employees here are musicians as well."

The music selection that's piped into the store is as eclectic as the merchandise. You'll hear everything from rockabilly, blues and punk to  classic rock, but it's always well-suited to the mood.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. On occasional Sundays from 4 to 7 p.m., if you have the courage to get up and one of over 65 tracks, karaoke-style, you can reach into a hat and pull out a discount card. These karaoke events regularly turn into full-fledged parties; the free beer for singers doesn't hurt.

It's clear from a brief chat with Sundae that she's living her dream. "From the time I was a teenager, I've loved vintage clothes," she said. "I don't even know why. It's just what I've always wanted to do."