San Diego Streetwear Shop, 5&A DIME Has All the Big Name Labels With a Local Feel

Written By: Keri Bridgwater
Photographed By: Bhadri Kubendran 5&A DIME

“I heard somewhere that when it comes to business, you either have to be the first to do something or the best one doing it,” says Huggins, who, together with sister Darcie, opened East Village streetwear store 5&A DIME in the mid-2000s.

Initially selling designer toys, books and apparel as a third part of the equation, Huggins’ cool “sis and bro show” dynamic has seen the duo ride out a recession, oversaturated streetwear market and rise of e-commerce throughout their 15 years in business. “When we opened in 2005, it was a case of the right time, right place,” he says. “5&A DIME was the only store from here to LA where you could get labels like Crooks & Castles, The Hundreds and Rogue Status. On some release days, we’d make $5,000-$6,000 in sales and thought, ‘Hey, this is easy!’”

A passion for collaboration and foresight to diversify helped Huggins adapt and navigate the highs and lows of running a small business, including the addition of Darcie’s popular The Goodstuff Cookie Co. in 2014. “There have been some steep learning curves for sure––my biggest regret was waiting so long to make 5&A DIME a brand. We did the store first, branding second, but since 2015, have focused solely on our apparel line.”

While Huggins’ coordinates production, Darcie and her boyfriend are behind the eye-catching graphics, often working with local creatives and social collectives like The Travelers Club, Tito Boy, Locals Only, Never Made and tattoo artist Sergio Hernandez, aka “Splurgeo.”

5&A DIME’s classic stack logo is still a top seller, but limited-edition drops and special runs always go fast. Despite the street cred cachet, there are no “too cool for school” vibes at the store. “At the end of the day, 5&A DIME is a family business––my mom, dad, sister and I built this together. We always have and always will make shopping here a personal experience.”

5&A DIME
828 G Street
San Diego, CA 92101
619.236.0364