Nelsonville’s Public Square received an addition to its downtown scene this summer when a longtime Athens County resident opened a new clothing store.
Store owner Lindsey Brooks, who grew up and continues to be a Nelsonville resident, opened The Recycled Wardrobe, 49 W. Columbus St., July 16.
Before opening her own store, Brooks’ past experience supplied her with retail knowledge. She decided to open the store after spending time in Limited Too’s management, as well as working as an inside sales representative for the Rocky Boots Company, which was founded by her grandfather.
“Retail is in my blood,” Brooks said. “I’ve always liked clothes and talking to people. (I opened) this store to fulfill a goal of mine and more importantly be happy. … It’s still very surreal that (The Recycled Wardrobe) is my own store.”
The Recycled Wardrobe carries gently used, name-brand clothing for women, men and juniors, including brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle and Hollister Co., with prices ranging from $4.99 to $9.99, Brooks said.
Although The Recycled Wardrobe offers clothes for all ages, Brooks said her target audience includes high school and college students, from both Hocking College and Ohio University, along with her Nelsonville clientele.
“Making clothes affordable for my customers, especially in this recession, is very important to me,” she said. “(The Recycled Wardrobe) allows shoppers to buy things for less and still feel good while wearing them.”
Capri Ciulla, a sophomore studying media arts, said she recently went to The Recycled Wardrobe and was very pleased with the store.
“I really loved the atmosphere at The Recycled Wardrobe,” Ciulla said. “As a college student on a budget, I really appreciated that I could find cute things without spending a lot of money.”
The store’s inventory is made up of bulk orders that Brooks said she has made through eBay purchases, as well as items that the public has sold during set “buying periods.”
Despite bulk purchases, the store stays true to strict buying guidelines, Brooks said.
“I won’t just take anything,” Brooks said. “In addition to being in good condition, (the items) have to be something that I think others would want to buy.”
Ciulla said she sees a bright future for Brooks and her store.
“Nelsonville is lucky to have a story like this,” Ciulla said. “The Recycled Wardrobe is such a fun idea, and I look forward to seeing how the store expands in the future.”
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