Charlie: Our friend who owned the shop decided to become a Hollywood stuntman and race car driver instead. In 2015, we rented the space. It was a classic case of making your hobby a business.

Shirley: We have an eclectic mix of stuff. Vintage and designer men’s streetwear, records, cameras, eyewear, books, bike parts, skateboards.

Charlie: It’s kind of like if you took a Tumblr page and made everything for sale.

Shirley: We wanted a place that felt inviting—a store where you don’t feel obligated to buy stuff.

Charlie: It’s a place to showcase cool artists and creatives.

Shirley: We called it Virgil Normal because we’re on Normal Avenue, and the cross street is Virgil. We kind of like that it sounds like a person.

Charlie: We work with a lot of designers who manufacture in L.A. We’re kind of like the local music venue, where indie bands can go and have a show, get their chops, spread the word. We do that for up-and-coming makers.

Shirley: My career is as a costume designer for film, but having the shop has been one of the most fulfilling things I’ve done. It’s beyond just having a store; it’s about having a community, being part of this neighborhood.

Charlie: Our patio is a nice little gathering place where artists do pop-ups or DJ or play their instruments or airbrush, or whatever their talent is. Any excuse to get people together. Otherwise, you never see them. It’s all email.

Shirley: Or texts. Face-to-face interactions are becoming rarer. Human interaction is really good for your soul and for your creativity.

Charlie: Sometimes you have to ask yourself, Should I be doing this? It’s not like we’re making a ton of money on the store. Rent, insurance, the products we sell—they’re all going up.