Story

You’ve been to the store, but do you know how it started? It’s a “mom & pop” shop, or, more accurately, it’s a “sis & bro” show. Brother & Sister duo Jason & Darcie Huggins are two regular kids who grew up to become the co-founders of San Diego’s funnest & friendliest shop. Who are the Huggins kids anyway? Well, Jason (Jay) grew up submerged in the West Coast’s BMX, Snowboard, and Skate scenes. 10 years older than kid sister Darcie, Jay was the default babysitter. Instead of letting kid sis stay home to play with her “My Little Pony” collection, Jay dragged Darcie all over town. “There’s an empty pool?! Let’s skate it! −There’s a fence? Jump it! −You like dogs? Maybe you should wrestle it!” Years of this type of torment at the hands of big bro while following him around (somewhat unwillingly) on his adventures developed a love-hate relationship between the duo. Luckily for us all, there was (usually) more love than hate amongst them.

To this very day Jay is still dragging Darcie along on his adventures, but now it’s a joint venture... In 2004, after a lifetime of tormenting his sister as the bossy big bro, Jay approached his kid sis with a crazy, but good, idea for a shop. Knowing that his younger & smarter sis had the brains & business savvy to make his idea come to life, Jay, in a change of roles, now needed Darcie’s help. The tables were turned, and Jay found himself at the mercy of Darcie! (Dun, dun, dun!) Jay was like “Hey Darcie, you want to start a store together?” Darcie said excitedly “No! That’s a terrible Idea!” He begged her again (“Nah...” she replied.) Again (“Meh.” She sighed) And, after 30 days of begging & pleading, big bro finally wore little sis down & the siblings opened 5&A Dime on a quiet Friday morning−the day after Thanksgiving... Black Friday! Then located between 8th & 9th avenue facing G St. in Downtown San Diego, 5&A Dime’s original concept was to be a designer toy store that also sold cool coffee table books on things that they were interested in like design, oh yeah, they sold candy too. Yeah, the shop had split personality disorder, but it worked, somehow.

How? How did this love for toys & books & candies turn into one of the most acclaimed clothiers in all of San Diego? “We started selling some of our friends’ brands at the shop, out of our love for them, it ended up being something that really took off & changed the path of 5&A Dime forever.” Friends with brands such as Crooks & Castles, The Hundreds, Hellz, & In4mation (to name a few) were just starting out around that era & were stoked to find their clothes hanging on (and soon flying off) the racks for the first time ever. Brands have moved up & moved on, but 5&A Dime remains San Diego’s finest, funnest & friendliest spot to cop dude’s duds and women’s wardrobes.

What you see when you enter the world of 5&A Dime is not just a clothing store. It is a concrete foundation & wood floor laid by big bro & little sis. It is cupboards built by their folks Bud & Dolly Huggins. It is shelves, displays, & racks filled by clothes designed by real designers, real people, who are real friends. 5&A Dime is as local as it gets, and is all about supporting San Diego in everything they do.