Unable to pursue a meaningful career in fashion as she worked to support her family, it took 20 years for White to reach the point where her kids were grown enough so that she could realize her dream.
On March 14, she opened International Apparel Market LLC, a used clothing store specializing in name brand items for the high school and college crowd.
“Raising my kids and living in society that was my duty, but that wasn’t what I wanted,” said White, 44. “I kept all of this in my head for 20 years and it could finally come spilling out.”
After visiting her children’s high school and seeing “80 percent of the students wearing American Eagle jeans,” she said she felt Middletown was ready for a second-hand store selling high-end fashions at reasonable prices.
“There are other thrift stores, but they are donation clothing so they have to put it all there. But I thought, how many people are going to spend hours and hours looking for clothing?” she said.
“I wanted more personality, to be more fashion-forward.”
The 800-square-foot storefront at 4600 Roosevelt Blvd., tucked behind McGuire Family Chiropractic and Auto Zone, is styled after the chic boutiques White saw while growing up in Japan.
She wanted to design a space where she could showcase her clothes on clearly labeled racks without making customers dig through piles to find what they want.
Store Coordinator Destiny Back, 20, said she thinks people will enjoy the stylish, comfortable atmosphere of the store and the prices, which range from $4.99 to $12.99 for a pair of name brand jeans.
“I was really surprised by the image of the store in terms of it being a consignment store and it really doesn’t look like one,” she said.
White said they will accept name brand clothing, especially jeans, for cash and will feature local artists’ work for consignment.
For more information, call (513) 290-0551 or e-mail jeanscircle@live.com.
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