Since 1991, a treasure trove of vintage denim has been tucked away into a quiet storefront on Broadway Street in Boise. That small shop, Junkyard Jeans, received widespread attention after the New York Times named them one of “The 50 Best Clothing Stores in America” in November 2025.
After the article’s release, Junkyard Jeans (located just four-minutes from Boise State’s campus by car) saw a $10,000 increase in monthly sales.
“It was very humbling for this article [to] come out, and for us to be picked in the top 50,” Owner Eric Schrader said.
While the media attention was exciting for the team, Schrader is used to living in the spotlight. From working with A-list celebrity clients to starring in a documentary about American denim, Schrader has seen it all.
“Honestly, my whole life has been like a movie,” he said. “Everywhere I go, everything I did, I’d have all these experiences, and I would just think, ‘Man, too bad there’s not a movie [about this].’ So when the movie cameras finally showed up, it was just natural to be a part of that.”
Schrader’s passion for vintage clothing began when his college roommate borrowed money from him, bought and resold clothing and shared the profits with him. Schrader began learning about reselling shoes and clothing until one garage sale purchase changed his life forever.
“I found two pairs of jeans in Nampa at a garage sale that I bought for $6 and sold for $30,000,” he said.
With that money and some help from his dad, Schrader bought Junkyard Jeans, a vintage clothing store in its infancy, and began washing, selling and customizing vintage denim.
After more than three decades in the “jean dealing” business, Schrader has become a denim expert in every sense of the word. From the history of denim production to the value of different denim grades, Schrader knows it all. According to him, jeans say a lot about the person wearing them.
“When people would bring their jeans in, if I saw something unique, I would ask them what they did for work,” he said. “People that wear jeans, their experiences in their lives [show up] in the denim.”
That concept came into play in a major way when American director Christian Bruun invited Schrader to be the subject of his 2014 documentary “Blue Gold: American Jeans”. The film followed Schrader around the world as he bought and sold denim, exploring how blue jeans became one of the most iconic fashion items in human history.
“People really liked it, I guess,” Schrader said, in his always-humble fashion. “It was really interesting, but it was a long process, and I’d seen so many versions of it that I couldn’t stand to look at myself.”
Even before his big-screen debut, Schrader had built a legacy of working with high-profile clients. The majority of Junkyard Jean’s sales come from custom orders for personalized jeans and denim, with their most expensive pairs reaching up to $55,000. Some of the store’s loyal customers have included Mike Posner, David Beckham, Blink-182, Post Malone and many more.
Junkyard Jeans has also collaborated many times with large-scale corporate companies such as Levi’s and Off-White. The team has done private parties at major events including Coachella and the Rose Bowl, where they would create on-site custom orders for A-listers, including the likes of George Clooney, Drake, Justin Bieber and Snoop Dogg.
The success has taken Schrader on many adventures around the world, but still, the recent resurgence of in-store activity has been just as rewarding to him. The New York Times article brought in an influx of locals, bringing a renewed sense of community to the storefront.
“It was crazy for us,” he said. “The shop was full and we’re just now starting to get [inventory] built back up to where it’s supposed to be.”
While Schrader travels the world for business, Store Manager Calista Garrard is usually holding down the fort in Boise. Running the shop, Garrard also appreciated the increased activity in the physical store.
“There were some people who had been customers who came in to say congratulations,” she said. “There were other people who were like, ‘I’ve seen this shop for forever, and just now stepped in.’ I’ve had a lot of full houses since [the article came out].”
Garrard has fallen in love with her work at Junkyard Jeans, whether she is stitching custom orders or assisting customers in-store.
“I find it really fulfilling to get somebody in a pair of pants that makes them feel good,” she said.
Garrard has had her fair share of high-profile orders as well. Her first solo order was three pairs of jeans for Post Malone. She also had the opportunity to create the jeans for popular Hollywood films such as “A Complete Unknown” starring Timothee Chalamet and “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” starring Jeremy Allen White.
“That was how I learned that Timothee Chalamet is taller than Jeremy Allen White,” she laughed. “I would not expect that.”
For Garrard, however, her work is less about the star power Junkyard Jeans attracts, and more about using her creativity, preserving fashion history and combating fast fashion.
“I hate fast fashion,” she said. “This is kind of a rebellion against that.”
Now, in the aftermath of the New York Times article, the team hopes to continue connecting with the Boise community. Garrard explained with other local businesses opening up near them, they have gotten to increase community engagement and connect more with locals.
“For [community events in Boise], you normally think of Hyde Park or places like that — not this little stretch of Broadway,” she said. “It’s just a cool little Renaissance happening down here.”
Whether you are looking to take advantage of their weekend deals or want to purchase a valuable pair of custom or vintage jeans, the team at Junkyard Jeans is excited to have you.
“I love having people in,” Garrard said. “So many of the customers we get are so interesting, [and] from so many different walks of life.”
