Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

UPDATE: This story was updated at 11:10 a.m. EST on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

Metal hangers screech against The Salvation Army clothing racks as Rocco Leone digs for his next golden thrift find. Leone fashions an outfit true to his vintage shop’s style — faded jeans and a “distressed” T-shirt that have lived on this planet longer than him. With each screech, he searches for one-of-a-kind garments to enhance Salt City Wearhouse’s “true Americana” aesthetic.

One found garment at a time, Leone tries to inspire appreciation for true vintage, while remaining true to himself.

“It wasn’t always about making the most profit. It was mostly about displaying clothes in a way that I wanted, basically creating a shop that I would want to shop in every day,” Leone said.

Located on the lower level of the McCarthy Mercantile building in downtown Syracuse, Salt City Wearhouse breaks the mold of the current ecommerce-driven fashion industry with entirely in-person shopping. Home to vintage sports memorabilia, bomber jackets, baskets of vinyls and knit sweaters, Salt City Wearhouse creates an atmosphere that feels like your grandfather’s basement, Leone said.

Leone opened Salt City Wearhouse in September. Before establishing the storefront, he participated in different thrift pop-ups in the area. Now approaching its seven-month anniversary, the Wearhouse is solidifying itself in the local secondhand scene.

As a full-time SEO content analyst, Leone said Salt City Wearhouse is his side hustle. But where his true creativity — and love for sports — shines through is within the store’s brick walls.

Leone’s vintage store, Salt City Wearhouse, features garments like a Coca-Cola bomber jacket and printed T-shirts. Leone open his storefront in September on the lower level of the McCarthy Mercantile building. Avery Magee | Photo Editor

Colorful college pennants line the walls, wooden lacrosse sticks lean against one corner and a store favorite, a Yankees baby tee, sits alone on a high shelf. Unfortunately for many interested customers, the authentic 1950s shirt is not for sale. Other “museum pieces” like 1940’s SU men’s basketball player Francis Miller’s varsity cardigan offer a slice of Syracuse University history as decor, not merchandise.

On Thursday, Salt City Wearhouse participated in Syracuse Fashion Week, a semi-annual celebration of “style and fashion” in central New York. As the only vintage store on the event’s roster, the Wearhouse gave Syracuse residents a taste of true vintage, which Leone defines as pre-1980s clothing.

Valentino Indelicato, an SU sophomore, started Salt City Wearhouse’s segment. An aspiring model and certified Timothée Chalamet look-alike, he appeared in black straight-leg jeans and a light blue button-down with red stitching while introducing the Wearhouse’s nostalgia-fueled line as “Zealots” by the Fugees rang through the speakers.

“I really messed with the look,” Indelicato said. “I was like, ‘wow, I could see myself in it.’ I think that goes to show that (Leone) definitely can provide an image for people.”

As a personal friend of Leone’s, Indelicato has witnessed him grow as a collector over the past two years while participating in Keep Going Market, a monthly pop-up event series founded by Indelicato’s sister, Bianca Indelicato.

“To be able to model for a brand that’s really trying to make its own message and purpose in Syracuse is really cool,” Indelicato said.

Leone styled 10 looks for the show, worn by an all-male ensemble. For weeks ahead of the show, Indelicato visited Leone’s “underrated” shopping space to find the perfect fit, he said. Leone closed the walk in a distressed strawberry-red T-shirt with more holes than fabric.

From left to right, Johnny Cazzola, Rocco Leone and Valentino Indelicato pose for Syracuse Fashion Week, wearing clothes from Leone’s vintage clothing store Salt City Wearhouse. Leone styled 10 looks for the runway show, worn by an all-male ensemble. Courtesy of Evan Strock

In its 12th year, Syracuse Fashion Week partners with the Food Bank of Central New York to raise funds for families experiencing food insecurity. Leone was invited to participate in the show by the event organizer and founder, Lisa Butler.

Although the runway posed as an outlet for increasing brand awareness, Leone prioritized the audience and his models over himself.

“To open people’s eyes, especially men, that there are timeless outfits that still can be worn in modern day, or go outside the norms of what they usually wear,” Leone said of his goals for the event.

For Leone, the event was also an opportunity to help models — like Indelicato and Conner Frigon, an emerging secondhand seller — network within the fashion industry.

“He definitely had a great way of just guiding the whole thing together, like what he was looking for with his first fashion show,” Indelicato said. “Because it’s big to him, and it’s big to all of us,” Indelicato said.

As the owner of Salt City Wearhouse, Leone said his life revolves around the local thrift scene. He visits thrift shops every week to find new, yet old inventory.

Before adding an item to his cart, Leone ensures that all potential Salt City Wearhouse merchandise passes the “true vintage test.” Thick necklines are required for T-shirts. Other garments need a heavy or distressed “feel.”

Open weekly from Thursday to Sunday, Salt City Wearhouse aims to ignite a public interest in quality vintage clothing at a reasonable price, Leone said. Although profitization is an integral part of the Wearhouse’s business model, it’s not the main reason he enjoys running his own business, Leone said.

“I really like seeing somebody specifically look for something and find it, or be able to express themselves through the clothes in a way that they weren’t able to before,” Leone said.

Some of Leone’s vintage store collection includes a Yankees baby tee that sits alone on a high shelf. Unfortunately, the baby tee is not for sale. Avery Magee | Photo Editor

In a society where everyone seems to be dabbling in thrifting themselves, Leone said he tries to remain humble in the sometimes “greedy” secondhand scene. Thrift chains like The Salvation Army and Goodwill are taking notice of the shifting trends by increasing their sale prices, he mentioned.

“There are characters in the vintage game,” Leone said. “Some people might try to abuse that power, but there’s no reason for me to do that.”

Johnny Cazzola, owner of Fragile Threads and a longtime friend of Leone’s, has been there from the start. Before Salt City Wearhouse’s brick-and-mortar store, Leone and Cazzola were among the first few vendors at Keep Going Market. Leone’s brand and personal style have evolved over the years, but his respect for the craft hasn’t changed, Cazzola said.

“(He’s) very respectful, always treats the clothes with care, always treats you with care,” Cazzola said. “He’s one of the nicest people I’ve got to know in my lifetime here.”

Leone and Cazzola have known each other since their days as Liverpool High School students. Now, the pair hits the thrift stores together to supply their own vintage brands, but also for fun, or what Cazzola calls their “high”.

The clothing pieces that line the racks of Leone’s underground shop showcase only a sliver of his secondhand selection. Leone often trades and sells with other collectors, like Frigon, to keep his inventory fresh.

A weekly frequenter of Salt City Wearhouse, Frigon assisted Leone with selecting the looks for the fashion show. Frigon also walked the runway himself in an earthy look featuring layered distressed T-shirts and ripped khaki-colored jeans.

Frigon said he’s run into some disingenuous people in the secondhand industry as an independent collector, but working with Leone is different.

“What I respect about him and having his stuff is that he’s true to himself,” Frigon said. “And I respect that cuz I’m true to myself.”

Looking forward, Leone wants to see his business grow, but that doesn’t necessarily mean going bigger or street-level, he said. Syracuse Fashion Week has already invited Salt City Wearhouse to participate in its fall shows. Whether it’s at the local thrifts, estate sales or on social media, Leone continues to hunt for rare Americana apparel.

“I just want to grow in the sense of getting more people down here, meeting new people,” Leone said. “It’s about making money, but also making people happy. And also opening people’s eyes that these types of clothes exist.”

Published on April 23, 2026 at 1:21 am