Retro Central opens in downtown Stevens Point
By Emmy Pinzon
STEVENS POINT — Downtown Stevens Point and the Portage County Business Council welcomed Retro Central, a vintage clothing store, to the community with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 17.
Owner John Reyes began selling clothing in 2020 through Instagram and Facebook under the name Dripped Up Central. In May 2023, he expanded to in-person sales in Wausau while continuing online sales and international shipping. He rebranded to Retro Central in 2024.
“Ever since I was 19, I knew I wanted to run my own business,” Reyes said. “Now I’m here running the store with my friends and family. I’m so grateful.”
Reyes chose downtown Stevens Point for his business because of its focus on love and community.
“I’m from Wisconsin Rapids, and I’ve always admired downtown Stevens Point. There’s always so much love and support to go around,” Reyes said. “Everyone is welcome here, and we want to build a culture of community within our store. I’m very excited to be part of the downtown family.”
At Retro Central, customers can find clothing from different eras and a variety of sneakers. The selection focuses on vintage sportswear and retrofitted pieces, including Harley-Davidson apparel, NASCAR gear and jerseys. The store also carries sweaters and workwear, such as Carhartt. The owners and employees help customers find items, whether in stock or sourced from elsewhere in Wisconsin. The team travels across the state to find pieces for the shop.
“Vintage is classy; I love how it looks and how accessible it can be,” Reyes said. “We’re working every day to make sure that our prices and deals are fair and accessible, especially with so many college-aged people living around here.”
Co-owner Ryan Figueroa is involved with development and sourcing for Retro Central.
“Originally, we planned on making Retro Central a website, but then we saw this location and knew that we wanted to pursue it,” Figueroa said. “We have worked hard for the last year to ensure everything is prepared for today. There’s a lot of opportunity in the world, and we’re excited to start this journey in downtown Stevens Point.”
Monday’s ribbon-cutting was hosted by the Portage County Business Council Ambassadors, with Mayor Mike Wiza, downtown manager Chloe Kreuser, and Plover Village President Gary Wolf also in attendance. Retro Central was presented with the Portage County Business Council Certificate of Appreciation before opening its doors to the public.
The store also hosted a soft opening on March 14.
Retro Central is open Monday through Saturday from noon to 9 p.m. at 1236 Third St. The store can also be found on Facebook and Instagram, @retrocentral.co.