Stellar Human, a distinctive vintage store selling secondhand clothing, records and memorabilia, celebrated its five-year anniversary at its Downtown Binghamton location last weekend. The store kicked off the commemorations by selling all products for 20 percent off the entire weekend and inviting guest vendors.

While La’Rue Simmons, owner and founder of Stellar Human, did not initially plan to open a business, he first heard the term “stellar human” during a sobriety meeting and was inspired to establish the store after his partner gifted him an LLC for the term. The store was originally located on 128 Robinson St., but relocated to its current home at 159 Washington St. a little under a year ago.

“For me, not being a traditional businessman, I didn’t know anything about running a business, like all the back-end stuff,” Simmons said.“But, I think when you believe in something as much as I believe in something as much as I believe in this, you figure it out. That’s kind of what we did. I just went with the flow, learned as I went. And I’m still learning every day.”

He noted that one of the biggest concerns about opening the store amid the pandemic was whether customers would show up during social distancing. However, he had faith that members of the Binghamton community shared a similar interest in fashion. Simmons told Pipe Dream that Stellar Human’s origins in Binghamton both made the store unique and provided artistic inspiration.

Simmons views Stellar Human as more of a community space rather than a traditional vintage store — a way to connect with both locals and students. One of his favorite ways of engaging with customers is helping them find their style.

“I had a customer come in that was transitioning from [female] to [male], and they didn’t really know how to dress masc, so I helped him find his first fit as a guy,” Simmons said. “That for me, having him stand in the mirror and feel like himself was just a beautiful moment. I’ve been able to kind of recreate that on several occasions since then, even with people who come in who want to elevate their style or they don’t know what their personal style is.”

“Nothing makes me feel better than seeing someone stand in the mirror and see how great they can look, especially with something they normally wouldn’t wear,” he added.

The weekend also brought multiple Black, women-owned businesses to the store, including The Hunny Suite, Perfectly Poured and Adrina Dietra.

Perfectly Poured is a self-care brand that sells candles and other aromatic products. For the event, the brand offered a specialty scent in collaboration with Simmons with notes of oakmoss and agave.

Adrina Dietra is an eco-minded luxury lifestyle brand that offers garments, apothecary goods and other body care products. Based in Ithaca, New York, the brand is the home of ‘The Ife Project,’ which donates 10 percent of all revenue to people in need both in Ithaca and across the country.

The Hunny Suite is run by Brandy Brown and offers crocheted goods, paintings and other creative pieces. She has been crocheting for 30 years and was originally taught in Brooklyn, where she fostered a passion for the craft in her 20s.

Beyond expanding Stellar Human, Simmons has a particular interest in creating a welcoming space where people can discover their style. Some other events that Stellar Human hosts include vinyl nights on Mondays and book clubs on Tuesdays, along with periodic music performances and art shows. The vintage shop also plans to host a flea market later this spring.