SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — A breakup, a backyard full of coyotes and a bite of a plum. For Allysa “Ally” Barnaba, the name of her unconventional vintage concept store, Plum Coyote, came together in an unexpected way.
“I love a store that’s strange and minimalist. The kind of store that makes people ask, ‘What is this place?’” said Barnaba.
Born and raised in Syracuse, Barnaba wanted a brand that reflected her hometown without relying on its familiar association with the university. Coyotes were a fixture of her childhood, with a den just beyond her backyard.
One day, while eating a plum, the two ideas came together.
“I was like, ‘Plum, coyote.’” said Barnaba. “Everybody likes it.”
The business itself began just as unexpectedly.
While pursuing a master’s degree in art history at University College of Dublin, she started reselling her secondhand clothing to make extra income.
“I wear secondhand clothing 99% of the time. I had a little bit of a thrifting addiction — and a lot of extra pieces,” she said.
Initially, she helped her then-boyfriend with his vintage T-shirt business, bringing women’s clothing into his shop. Soon, customers began recognizing her for her selections.
After the relationship ended, Barnaba returned to New York City in 2025, bringing her remaining post-breakup inventory from Europe.
“I’ve always had a love for Ireland,” she said. “I met an Irish guy. I don’t regret it for a minute.”
She launched her own brand, Dust Bowl, while working at vintage retail shops. At the same time, she spent two years searching for a job in art curation, hoping to turn her academic background into a career.
But as the city’s cost of living climbed and opportunities in the art world remained elusive, Barnaba began reconsidering her next move.
Eventually, she called her parents about moving home to grow her vintage operation — the one venture she had found consistent success in since returning from abroad.
“I hadn’t lived in Syracuse since 2019 when I graduated high school,” Barnaba said. “I was like, ‘if I come home, do you guys think I could try something artistically and creatively?’”
Back in Syracuse, Barnaba decided it was time to give the business a new direction. She wiped her social media accounts, reevaluated her stock and developed a distinct visual identity, drawing inspiration from vintage stores she had visited in New York City, Paris, London and Ireland.
“As a thrifter, I like to see a bit of the person who owns the store,” said Barnaba. “It’s fun to see what somebody’s mind is putting together, or what they think is valuable and trending.”
Plum Coyote’s artistic vision reflects Barnaba’s own: a mix of bare, minimalist design, eclectic furniture and animal motifs.
Two stores in particular shaped her aesthetic. She points to Stella Dallas Living in Brooklyn for its cluttered yet intentional atmosphere and Lute, a concept store in Ireland, for its carefully edited selection of just five clothing racks and frequently rotating retail.
Barnaba’s background in art also informs her approach to retail. She sees art and fashion as closely intertwined, a perspective that began taking shape during her first major curatorial project in 2023: a collaborative fashion exhibition at the Museum at FIT, developed in partnership with LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore, exploring hybridity and cross-pollination.
Barnaba dreams of dedicating half her independent storefront to a gallery, highlighting local artists and those she believes are pushing the art world forward.
Regular marketplace hours are expected to begin in mid-November, running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The store is also available to shop on Depop.
Barnaba is currently offering free appointments which can be arranged by messaging their Instagram.
“Just let me know, and I’ll be there,” said Barnaba.