KTSW Loves: DSV1NTAGE

By Bree Cullins

Promotions and Community Relations Member

Everyone knows someone who attempts to resell their old clothes on Depop, finds a couple of “vintage-looking” tees at Goodwill and throws them up on some random website. I myself have fallen victim to this and tried to convince people that my old Demi Lovato shirt is exactly what they need in their closet. But when you go to a market or scroll through online stores, everything starts to blur together, and nothing makes the shops feel original.

However, there’s the occasional DSV1NTAGE that feels like a newly discovered treasure. 

Ran by Texas State engineering student David Ixtabalan, DSV1NTAGE differentiates itself through curation and face-to-face connection. He spends a great deal of time finding unique items because he values his company. Ixtabalan said much of his curation comes from finding “something I think looks cool and different.” 

“I don’t think of it as a side hustle, think of it as a passion,” Ixtabalan said.

DSV1NTAGE’s story is interesting because Ixtabalan didn’t just ride the wave of vintage selling because it got popular. He started during COVID-19, while still in high school, before the trend took off.

So, while many resellers are just starting, he’s already learned what his customers want more of and built a strong community around him on both the seller and buyer sides of the business. And although many resellers operate online, he prefers being out at markets and talking to people interested in his clothes.  

He said he enjoys “helping [customers] choose what they want and making sure they buy what they love.”

“I feel like being successful is being able to create an experience for someone,” Ixtabalan said.

I experienced this type of care firsthand while visiting Ixtabalan’s booth at a campus market day and markets on The Square over the past few years. 

Outside of his own brand, Ixtabalan does a lot to support other small businesses in the area, most notably through the Vanilla Bean Market– a monthly market that Ixtabalan co-founded with his friend, Cooper.

The market was created because “there was no space for small businesses or entrepreneurs to showcase their products in the area,” Ixtabalan said.

So, he and Cooper took it upon themselves to give local vendors a place to grow their businesses right in the heart of San Marcos, and give the community a place to support local businesses. 

The market quickly became a staple of the San Marcos event calendar and my personal favorite. Quickly growing from 25 to 80 vendors over the last three years, San Marcos absolutely loved what Ixtabalan had created. Every time I visited the market, there were tons of fellow students and families roaming through the shops, building their vintage collections.  

But like most things in entrepreneurship, even great ideas must be ever-evolving. 

Right now, the Vanilla Bean Market is dealing with location issues and going through some changes, but Ixtabalan isn’t backing off. For the last event of the semester, Vanilla Bean moved to the parking lot outside of Native Blends, and Ixtabalan said they are working on some long-term solutions to get the market back on track. 

Ixtabalan said the reason behind his motivation to get the current problems solved is “our vendors…knowing they depend on our market like that.”

That sense of responsibility says a lot about how he views what he’s built– the markets are for everyone involved, not just DSV1NTAGE.  

At the end of the day, what makes DSV1NTAGE stand out isn’t just the clothes in stock, but the intention Ixtabalan puts behind his business.

“Community is the number one thing,” Ixtabalan said in our conversation, and it is easily felt through interactions with him.

So, if you’re interested in finding some cool, curated vintage clothes, watches or digital cameras, and want to support Ixtabalan, I highly recommend checking out DSV1NTAGE at a Texas State Market Day or by keeping up with the Vanilla Bean Market on Instagram to see what they have in store next. I know I will be waiting in the wings until the next market when I can grab a whole new wardrobe from his shop!