Lexington, KY - What started out as a resume-padding gig with the Peace Corps in Ecuador for Howie Rackmil has morphed into over 30 years worth of experience in the garment industry, though that wasn't the initial intent.
When Rackmil, owner of Lexington's three Worlds Apart locations, left the South American country in the mid '70s, he had a master's degree in political science and a degree in business, he could speak Spanish, and he had worked for the Peace Corp for two years. He hit Washington, D.C., thinking he was God's gift to assignments overseas, but all he got was culture shock and a string of referrals.
"One day I started out in the morning at one guy's door, and at the end of the day, I ended up back at his door," Rackmil said. "I got referred back to him, and I flipped."
Disheartened (and broke), Rackmil packed up his station wagon and headed for the Bluegrass to be with a Lexington woman whom he had met in Ecuador - all he had was that car and a handful of sweaters he had bought in Ecuador. Rackmil had spent a year following his service in the Peace Corp traveling the country; to supplement his income he helped American travelers buy artisan crafts. On a whim, he took those sweaters to a nice boutique in Cincinnati.
"And the sweaters were gifts - a sweater for a friend, sweater for my mom, my sister," he said. "I went up to Cincinnati and I went to this store and said, 'Would you like to buy these sweaters?' They said, 'Gosh, we'll take five of that, four of that.' I said, 'Can I borrow a piece of paper?'"
Buoyant with the initial success, Rackmil hit the road trying to sell the sweaters across the country - he sold over $2,000 worth. Before heading back to Ecuador to fill the orders, he bought a TV to take to trade with a sweater maker ("Electronics were very expensive down there, probably five times as much," he said). The sweaters were sent back to Lexington, and then to the stores, and the first fibers were woven into Worlds Apart.
After various stints in manufacturing and wholesale, different business ventures and venues, as well as making some notable lifelong friends along the way (including Dan Storper, the founder and CEO of Putamayo World Music), Rackmil is gearing up for this year's annual Fourth of July sale - a mainstay for Worlds Apart and regional fashion-hungry bargain shoppers.
The event started in 1982 when Worlds Apart was located on Old Vine Street and Rackmil displayed clothing outside to catch the attention of Bluegrass 10,000 runners. It worked, and year after year, the insatiable crowds grew larger.
"You know those old movies of Filene's Basement with people going crazy and taking off their tops right in the aisles - that's exactly what was going on on Old Vine," Rackmil said.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, for the first time the sale will be held at Lexington Green, adjacent to one of the Worlds Apart locations, in empty retail space at the center (formerly Khazai Rug Store). Sale hours are 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. July 2, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. July 3; and 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. July 4.