Meet Meika Franz

We recently connected with Meika Franz and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Meika, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

From a very young age I knew I wanted to do something in fashion, I thought I wanted to be a fashion designer; however, life took me down a different path that ultimately led me to vintage! I was the oldest of 4 children and from a lower middle-class home and had big dreams! I remember clearly around age 14 going to tour FIT in NYC and being so excited at the potential of going to school there, I brought my fashion sketch books and was certain it was where I was meant to be and that fashion my calling. However, I also remember just as clearly the moment my mother said that I had better get a scholarship then because they wouldn’t be able to help me. I was at the end of a generation where not everyone went to college and my parents were not trying to be mean, they were overwhelmed by their own finances and wanted instill strength and independence in me. My mom was proud of her accomplishments not going to college just as much as my dad was proud of the fact that he worked his way through college, and I could do the same. Unfortunately, I lacked the mentorship that might have taken me there at the time but in the end, I went down an alternative path that led me to exactly where I was meant to be.

I discovered thrifting and started to not only make my own clothes, but to redesign clothes from the vintage fabric I found. I loved wearing something no one else had and I embraced being unique, as difficult as that was in the small town I grew up in. I soon after discovered music which encouraged individuality and found friends who were also not afraid to express themselves in their style. Subculture had taken me under its wings and showed me another path. While this journey led me to trying many different looks, for me it was the need to ‘label’ I disliked the most. Life is a journey of discovery, and the clothes we wear are a great way to explore our interest, personality and identity. The clothes we wear also allow us to convey who we are to the world. For me, nothing did this better than vintage. It’s unique, one-of-a-kind and tells a story, not just of the past, but in wearing it now in the present & influencing our future. Vintage was my outlet, self-expression and passion, and I quickly realized it was also my calling.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Hi! My name is Meika Franz and I am the owner of Another Man’s Treasure aka AMT Vintage! I own a bi-coastal vintage store and business focusing on wearable everyday wear, special occasion, rare and designer vintage! I opened Another Man’s Treasure in Downtown Jersey City, NJ in 2006 and have had the honor of being named one of the top vintage boutiques in the country and our wares have been featured in various publications, tv & film and have sold to dozens of todays top designers for design inspiration. My most recent expansion includes the opening of AMT Vintage in Old Pasadena, a collective concept shop focusing on rare and designer vintage clothing, accessories and jewelry. Here we also feature rotating vintage vendors and one of a kind vintage capsule collections!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Ooh, this is tricky! I always say that everything I have ever gone through has led me to where I am today, and I remember learning that from an early age. By the time I opened AMT, all of my skills in sewing, fabric and fashion history had come to a head, leading me to starting my own business, but just as important were the skills I learned in my more grueling jobs.

At the age of 19 I managed to get hired as a seamstress in a bridal shop, where I worked for 2 years. My family was in the sewing business, so I learned from an early age how to sew and teach others to sew. This helped me score the job, although I was not really qualified to work on the couture gowns I would be working on, however I learned on the job and was taught some of the most important work of my career. This was also the start of another lesson, which was perseverance.

I believe both perseverance and resilience are two of the most important qualities in entrepreneurship. I have never spoken to another business owner who at some point does not want to quit, running a business is challenging and let’s face it, hard. Passion is also one of the most important qualities, because it’s this that helps us keep going in those hard times. If you are planning to open a business and do something you don’t absolutely LOVE, I really don’t recommend it. Find your passion and that is where you will find your strength to keep going no matter how difficult the challenge. It is also where you will find your success and most importantly your happiness!

As for perseverance and resilience, running a business… life… it’s all the same, there are ups and downs, but the hard times are our moments to learn and expand. I personally align with ‘The Surfer Mentality’, just remember “When a surfer gets up on a wave, they enjoy the present moment, even though they know with certainty that the wave will eventually end. They fully enjoy THIS wave, with the wisdom and awareness that there are always more waves coming.’

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

My husband and business partner Warren has been most helpful in helping me overcome my challenges and in developing my skills, qualities and knowledge, and ultimately in reaching my goals. Early on I had a lot of insecurities, and without having the support of my husband who believed in me wholeheartedly I probably never would have reached all that I have now accomplished. It doesn’t have to be a life partner, or a business partner, but having someone who believes in you, in the beginning can truly make all the difference! I do believe that ultimately, that belief has to come from within, but being careful of who you keep close to you is important, always surround yourself with people who empower, support, motivate and believe in you!

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photos by Warren Franz

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