Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE - A "unique boutique" found its way to downtown Syracuse. Flashback, owned by Rob Miller, 36, opened July 1 and is geared for the whole family to enjoy.
Miller describes his items as "things for your pad."
One reason Miller opened Flashback was to be able to set his own hours and take personal care of his 1-year-old daughter, Rhiannon.
"It keeps our daughter away from day care," Miller said, and in the care of her parents.
"We opened it (Flashback) because we just felt the need for a store like this in Syracuse," Miller said. "It's out of the norm in a small, Midwestern town."
And that's just how Miller likes it. It provides products for a market that targets all ages and never seems to outdate itself.
"We like to think this is a store that the whole family can enjoy," he said. Miller said Flashback customers range from teenagers to senior citizens who remember his products from their younger years.
"I have a regular group of teen-agers that come in," Miller said, "and ladies all the way up to 70 years old."
Flashback, as Miller describes it, is a "unique boutique."
"We have the best incense," Miller said. Flashback carries more than 40 different fragrances ranging from "Nagchampa" to "Watermelon" to "Sex-on-the-beach."
"The incense by far are the things that a lot of people come in for, and they kind of look around after that," Miller said.
And the best-selling incense, "Sex-on-the-beach," "smells just like the drink," Miller said. In fact, "it sells better than everything else."
Incense can be purchased at Flashback at a very reasonable price: 20 sticks for $2.
Flashback also features items from tie-dye T-shirts, costing anywhere from $14 to $16 each, tapestries, native American and South American drums and percussion instruments, candles, figurines, body jewelry and several other unique items.
The native American and South American drums range in prices from $20 to $75 depending on the size and make.
In the future, Flashback may look at a little remodeling.
"We're trying to get a display made of '60s and '70s memorabilia," Miller said. "And we're always looking for things to put in album covers."
Miller said old concert T-shirts and concert signs are great items for the display.
"One whole wall will be dedicated to the '60s/'70s display," he said. Recently, Miller said, a stack of Rolling Stone magazines was donated to Flashback. So that will be part of the new display as well.
"I'm absolutely loving it," Miller said of his unique boutique.
Miller rents the building from Dan VanLuew, Syracuse. Prior to Flashback, the building housed a small antique business, George's Antique Gift World. Before that, the building was an old gas station known as Hydee's.
"The hydraulic lift is still here," Miller said. "And actually, where I sit (at the check-out counter) is where the cars drove in."
"It's kind of weird, I guess," Miller said of his hours. Flashback is closed Wednesdays, but open the rest of the week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. For more information on Flashback, contact Miller at 457-4971.
Miller, his wife, Shannon, and their daughter, Rhiannon, 1, live in Syracuse.
