New business in Bay City aims to be "the coolest garage sale ever"

BAY CITY If it turns out the way he wants it to, Jordan Pries' new business, Electric Kitsch, should be anything but conventional.

The walls inside of the storefront at 917 Washington, formerly occupied by Bay Musical Arts Inc., are now painted a variety of colorful hues reminiscent of another era. "Open" signs made from vintage television sets stand ready to grace the front windows, and shelves are slowly filling with records and vintage items to prepare for the store's grand opening on Friday, June 22.

Pries, a 29-year-old Linwood resident, has been involved in the business of music for quite some time. For eight years, he worked at B's Music Shop in Mount Pleasant and gained experience working in the world of music retail. To him, opening his own business was the logical next step.

But Pries said he wants Electric Kitsch to be more than the average music or record store. In addition to offering a buy/sell/trade system for vinyl records, Pries has collected a variety of vintage instruments, electronics, clothes and other items from the 1950s through the 1980s to sell at Electric Kitsch so the people who come to his shop can have a unique experience.

"I want people to feel like they just walked up to the coolest garage sale ever, where everything is something they might want at garage sale prices," Pries said.

Pries is also planning to offer instrument and electronic repair services at the store.

Electric Kitsch is not the only business slated to open its doors in downtown Bay City in the coming weeks. The storefront at 915 Washington, the former location of the Bay Arts Council that is directly adjacent to the new home of Electric Kitsch, is going to house a shop called Urban Flowers and Found Objects that could open in June, Bay City Downtown Management Board and Development Authority Executive Director Candace Bales said. A new coffee shop, entitled ThunderBrew Coffee Company, also has plans to open its doors in the downtown at 521 Washington, she said.

Bales said it was nice to see plans for two businesses with an artsy and musical focus to move in next store to each other where there had been such a presence before the Bay Arts Council moved to a different location and Bay Musical Arts Inc. closed its doors. She said the businesses could attract similar clientele and likely will be unique additions to the community.

"We love the young professionals coming in with kind of funky stuff," Bales said. "You never know what's going to push buttons and bring in more people, but I get the feeling that those two next to each other will be a good thing."

An evening grand opening party for Electric Kitsch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday. The store's hours will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Pries said he also plans to open up the store during special weekend events in the downtown, including Bay City's First Thursdays and various festivals.

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New business in Bay City aims to be "the coolest garage sale ever"