Mission Statement:
To provide a ridicule-free shopping experience to all the original Yuppies, Valley Girls, Hair-Band Enthusiasts, Boy-Band-Obsessing, Brat-Pack-Loving fans of the 80s and its peripheral years. To offer a unique supply of nostalgic, decade-specific, hard-to-find items of the 80s by retail means and e-commerce.
Why Retro Active?
Ever wish you hadn’t thrown out that old denim jacket with the 150 buttons on it? Wish you’d held onto those great concert T-shirts, especially the ones of bands that are all but defunct now? Ever wish you could get a hold of some of that stuff now, then spent hours and days in front of a computer hunting thru the million and one websites, or worse, spent a fortune on Ebay? Well, we did too! Now we’ve put it all together for you, we’ve done the leg work and created a one in a million shopping experience for you! Retro Active puts it all right in front of you: the movies, music, TV shows, brand names and all the best of 80s pop culture at the click of a mouse! Enjoy browsing our the gallery of images, past & present, and stay up to date on what’s going on in the world of the 80s revival. Get involved by letting us know what you are in to, take our 80s Survey, or send an idea for our newsletter. Plus, evolve with us as the years pass and more things become “retro”. We’re gonna ride this wave as far as it will go, and we hope you come along too!!!
ROCK ON!!
–Amy
How it all began:
It all began at a Leif Garrett concert…It was a cold February day in Norfolk, VA, and Amy L couldn’t understand why nobody would take a free ticket to go with her to see Leif Garrett! Just as all hope seemed lost of getting the chance to meet her very first teen idol, the newest Friendly’s manager-in-training, Amy H said, “I remember him, I’ll go.” Well, after a very interesting set with his band F8, and no sign that Leif was ever “Made For Dancing”, and a few cocktails, Amy and Amy, as well as the other 15 members of the audience, got to meet Leif up close and personal! Let’s just say a grand time was had by all, and a new friendship was born by the bonds of Leif!!
It soon became evident that Amy and Amy shared an interest in old school rock, 80s glam metal, and it seemed for all things 80s. The next few years saw many more concert experiences, including a road trip to Myrtle Beach, SC to see Bret Michaels. After all, they had been personally invited to the solo tour by Bret himself when they met him after a Poison concert. Immediately, both Amy and Amy were taken with the laid back Myrtle Beach area. TIME TO RELOCATE!!!
After the “great migration” both decided that they were done with the restaurant industry. Amy H planned to return to college and pursue a degree in education, but Amy L had another thought…
And here’s Amy’s pitch :
“Wouldn’t it be great to love going to work everyday? To go to a place that you look forward to being at? Listen to great music all day? Watch all the classic movies we want? Stop the maddening and never ending hunt thru the millions of websites for 80s stuff? BE OUR OWN BOSS?”
And so, after many trials, disappointments, and reality checks, the funding was finally secured and a mission had begun!
And, now, here we are, years later, with a quadrupled inventory, hundreds of concerts attended, several important contacts made, a few store renovations and our 4th website!!!
So, welcome to Retro Active. We hope you will enjoy your nostalgic trip back in time, and don’t forget to take home a few souvenirs!!!
** In May of 2015, Amy Harriman decided to move back up north and left the company.
Retro Active is solely owned and operated by Amy Leonard.
About Amy Leonard
Birthday:July 22
Hometown Skaneateles, New York
School: Skaneateles High School
BA: Cayuga County Community College
Rochester Institute Of Technology: BA in Restaurant
Management
Places Lived: Skaneateles, NY,-Rochester, NY,- Virginia Beach. VA, – Myrtle Beach, SC
Previous Jobs: Olga’s Kitchen, Darryl’s Bar & Grill, Cuisine & Company, Friendly’s
Favorite TV Show: True Blood, Gilmore Girls, Whose Line Is It Anyway, Two & a Half Men
Favorite Band/Artist: Could NEVER pick just one: KIX, Motley Crue, Journey, Billy Idol, Duran Duran, The Fixx, Def Leppard, Zebra and so, so many more!!!
Did you know that Amy L:
1. Is a Buffalo Bills Fan
2. Has a Tattoo of the Journey Departure album artwork
3. Still can’t believe she met Steve Perry
4. Loves salt potatoes…you have to be from Upstate NY to understand
5. Has every ticket from every concert she has ever been to
6. Still has all her vinyl albums & owns two turntables
7. Came up with the idea for the store when Motley Crue announced that they were going on tour in 2005
8. Is going to do her first half marathon in Feb 2010
9. Still loves the song ‘ Sky High ‘ by Jigsaw
10. Would rather eat chocolate chip cookie dough, than the actual baked cookie
Hobbies:
Going to concerts, running, reading, cooking, traveling
Favorite music moments:
1. Meeting Motley Crue September 2005 at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater
2. Having Steve Perry wander in to the store June 19, 2007
3. Meeting Steve Whiteman from KIX, backstage at Rocklahoma 2008, just as the huge storm was blowing thru
4. Kip Winger wandering out onto the stage during our on stage promo this year at Rocklahoma.
5. Every time I meet Kenny Kweens!!
One day, when I have more time, I will list every show I have been to along with all the opening acts I have seen. It makes for a very interesting list.
Bands I wish had or could see: Queen, DIO, INXS (again, with Hutch), Steve Perry