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Local Vintage Sportswear Shop Celebrates Its Five-Year Anniversary Local Vintage Sportswear Shop Celebrates Its Five-Year Anniversary

Scholars and Champs offers a wide variety of rare finds for customers to enjoy.

By Griffin Della Penna

Scholars and Champs opened prior to the Pandemic and celebrates its fifth-year in business.
© 2024 Griffin Della Penna

DELLA PENNA: What’s old is new again, especially in fashion. Scholars and Champs on South Salina Street has fans of vintage sportswear covered.

Syracuse University senior Dominic Brancoli is an avid thrifter that routinely visits the shop for its rare finds and wide variety.

BRANCOLI: It’s refreshing, you know? All the merch now, looks exactly the same. So, it’s nice to see stuff like this that’s still around.

DELLA PENNA: Store owner Bert Aufsesser is an SU alum with a degree in retail. When he would return to campus for his role as the Los Angeles alumni board president, he gravitated towards wearing Orange gear that nobody else had.

AUFSESSER: So I started collecting old vintage stuff, and next thing you know I had a full storage facility of clothes and I didn’t know what to do with it. I finally said to myself, God I’ve worked retail my whole life, I should probably just start selling this stuff… so that’s what I did.

DELLA PENNA: What began as a hobby turned into a profitable business that celebrates its five years anniversary in 2024. Aufsesser never could’ve imagined the stores impact on the community.

AUFSESSER: Everyday I’m amazed of how many people know about the store and how many people wear stuff. I had a guy come in the other day and I said how did you hear about the store? He said, honestly, I see people wearing stuff and I go up to them and ask them where they got it and everyone tells me Scholars and Champs.

DELLA PENNA: Aufseher scours the internet everyday to ensure his inventory meets the high demand. Customers at Scholars and Champs appreciate his dedication to the game.

BRANCOLI: I think Bert is doing a big part for the community and the students and just keeping a live culture here.

DELLA PENNA: Even after nearly five years in the business, the most rewarding part of the job still doesn’t get old.

AUFSESSER: When you’re out and about at a game, at a bar and you see someone wearing something and you remember selling it to them. When I ask people do you get compliments, and they say oh my gosh people stop me all the time.

DELLA PENNA: Aufseher has seen an increase in his client base and relates it to the success in the Orange Athletic programs.

In Syracuse, Griffin Della Penna, NCC News.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — A local vintage sportswear shop is celebrating its 5th anniversary on South Salina Street. Scholars & Champs offers a wide variety of rare finds for customers to enjoy. Owner Bert Aufsesser never could have imagined the store’s impact on his community.

The Syracuse alum was still involved with the university as president of the Los Angeles alumni board. He found himself constantly searching for SU gear that nobody had for when he returned to campus. Aufssser was already working in the fashion industry and realized his true calling was returning to Central New York. 

 

Store Owner Bert Aufsesser is a Syracuse alum that began Scholars & Champs due to his background in retail in Los Angeles.
Store Owner Bert Aufsesser is a Syracuse alum who began Scholars & Champs due to his background in the retail industry on the West Coast.
© 2024 Griffin Della Penna

“I started collecting old vintage stuff, and next thing you know I had a full storage facility of clothes and I didn’t know what to do with it,” said Aufsesser. “I finally said to myself, God I’ve worked retail my whole life, I should probably just start selling this stuff, so that’s what I did.”

What started as a hobby turned into a business offering new items daily. Aufsesser continues to scour websites like eBay and has thifters all over the country that sell directly to him for inventory. 

His favorite customer since he opened the store is former men’s basketball player Buddy Boeheim, who visits regularly. Buddy, son of legendary head coach Jim Boeheim, still purchases items from Scholars & Champs even though he is currently playing in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons. 

“Buddy obviously has deep Syracuse ties so he would always get merch. He also loves Spongebob, so I somehow found this collaborative shirt between Syracuse and Spongebob that he still wears all the time,” Aufsesser said. 

 

Scholars & Champs offers a wide variety of vintage Syracuse Orange gear.
Scholars & Champs offers a wide variety of vintage Syracuse Orange gear.
© 2024 Griffin Della Penna

Due to the success of the women’s basketball program and the hype around the football team, Aufsesser believes that’s why he is busier than ever. Instead of getting items from the bookstore that everyone has, college students are interested in thrifting. 

Dominic Brancoli is a senior at Syracuse who has been a customer at Scholars & Champs since his freshman year. He appreciates Aufsesser’s dedication to his fellow thrifters and believes his impact is deeper than just purchasing clothes. 

“I think he’s doing a lot for the community and for the students here to keep a live culture. If it wasn’t for him, would there be Orange Out games at the Dome? I think he’s a large part of building the Syracuse fanbase to express themselves in a different way through fashion,” Brancoli said. 

The most rewarding part of Aufesser is being able to interact with customers like Brancoli, who continue to come back. He’s still amazed at how many people come into the store and purchase his products.

“When you’re out and about a game, at a bar and you see someone wearing something and you remember selling it to them. When I ask people do you get compliments? They say oh my gosh people stop me all the time,” Aufsesser said.

Aufsesser isn’t sure what’s next for Scholars & Champs but hopes that Syracuse continues to support his store for years to come.

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