Wake Up Call puts a unique spin on vintage resale

Alec Joseph and Brice Reynolds, both 26, have been best friends since they were sixth graders at Waverly East Intermediate, in part due to their shared affinity for clothing and sneakers.

Joseph went on to start his own apparel company, Gang Affiliation, in 2017 with his friend Devin Jones, who died later that year.

“I was living in Los Angeles at the time, and Devin was doing stuff over here,” Joseph said. “He was a pretty well-known guy around here for only being 20-something years old, but he took his own life. After that happened, I moved back, and we just took it up in full force.”

Joseph brought Reynolds on as a co-owner, and the pair continued developing the brand in Jones’ memory. They opened a storefront in Detroit’s Russell Industrial Center in 2020, but the pandemic, along with Reynolds’ status as a new father, forced them to take a step back.

(From left) Wake Up Call co-owners and childhood friends Brice Reynolds and Alec Joseph pose under a flag bearing their shop logo.

They continued selling their merch to friends and online via Instagram. However, as demand grew, they were prompted to consider opening a brick-and-mortar shop closer to home. They settled on a 1,450-square-foot space in the Stadium District, the former home of Capital City Homebrew Supply, which closed in March.

The new shop, rebranded as Wake Up Call, opened Oct. 19. It features apparel from Joseph and Reynolds’ own brand as well as vintage clothing like letter jackets, sweaters, T-shirts, hats and sneakers.

“We’re always looking for the next thing, and right now, vintage is huge. There’s just such a big market for it,” Reynolds said. 

Some of Wake Up Call's classic clothing hangs underneath a painting by hip-hop artist, Zeeloperz.

Joseph said their growing stock is sourced partially through partnerships with “resident vendors” Better Aged, a vintage store in Grand Rapids, and online retailer Bo Knows Vintage.

Wake Up Call is also a certified vendor of Heybike electric bicycles, which stemmed from a desire to diversify the shop’s offerings, Reynolds said, adding that the concept “ties in with our theme of reusing clothing.” In the back of the shop, Joseph designs “three to four” custom hats daily and also works on shoes and clothing on a case-by-case basis.

Wake Up Call also sells electronic bicycles from Heybike, via a partnership with Lansing Electronic Bikes.

The duo believes their creative, multidimensional approach to the standard vintage shop is poised to flourish as they continue to settle in.

“In two weeks, we’ll have a bunch of new stuff and more shelving built. So, this is really like ground zero for us. We’re just going to keep upgrading,” Reynolds said.