Inside GerbThrifts: How a DMV Vintage Collector Turned Passion into a Private Showroom Experience

Andrew Gerbasi

Long before opening his private showroom in Alexandria, Virginia, Andrew Gerbasi, known widely as “Gerb,” was just a college student with no summer job, a love for streetwear, and a friend who nudged him toward his first thrift run. “I was living in Maryland and just figuring things out,” he recalls. “But that summer in 2019, I started thrifting solo, learning what had value, and it just clicked. I wanted to show the world what I was finding.”

What began as a casual dive into resale quickly grew into something more intentional. Gerb launched his Instagram page, GerbThrifts, by the end of that first summer, and over time, built a trusted brand that reflects both his taste and curiosity, selling everything from obscure tourist tees to collectible '90s Nike, The North Face, and Stussy grails.

His experience at Esteem, a staple in the DMV’s buy/sell/trade scene, shaped much of his approach. “I started as a customer, then an employee, and then became their go-to vintage guy,” he said. The three years he spent there taught him the skills of inventory management and customer service, which ultimately led to Gerb being a co-founder/owner of Esteem’s Delaware location in 2022. Working and managing Esteem helped him realize he could do this himself.

But Gerb’s growth wasn’t just about mentorship and leadership. It was rooted in personal drive. A former college baseball player, he credits the sport with instilling discipline in him. Baseball taught him how to set goals and put in real work to see results. “Once I let baseball go, this became my new field.”

That mentality is on full display in his new showroom. Not a retail storefront, but a curated space filled with years of accumulated knowledge, artifacts, and standout pieces from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. “I wanted something that proves I’ve been in the game. Some of these pieces took years to find. I’m not just trying to sell them, I want to share them exclusively with close friends and buyers.”

This past weekend, Gerb hosted an invite-only event to mark the space’s launch. A tight-knit group of 15 friends, vintage sellers, fashion classmates, and longtime collaborators gathered to talk clothes, sip drinks, and dig through racks. “It was more than a party,” he said. “It reminded me why I love this. Connecting through clothes, sharing stories, and appreciating the culture, that’s what it’s always been about.”