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Urban Trends Attract Young Shoppers Downtown

Tuesday June 12, 2007

By Ed Barna

   Town Clerks have to be good at dealing with all kinds of people. So it shouldn't be surprising that Karen Curavoo, Weybridge's Town Clerk, has made her Urban Exchange clothing and accessories store in Middlebury a popular place for young people.

   And that, she said when interviewed, was part of the plan. The Main Street business district needed more ways to appeal to teenagers and young adults, and in that regard “it's gone very well.”

   For a generation at home with Ebay, the way the Urban Exchange works must seem like common sense. Someone who tires of wearing a particular garment brings it in, gets paid more for it than it would fetch at most yard sales (where clothing often goes to the free pile), then someone who wants something different comes and buys it.

   During her time outside the Weybridge town office, Curavoo does locate items she wants to stock to round out the offerings. But the essential principle she has followed, starting April 20, is: If you want to sell what your customers want, have them sell it to you first.

   In the latter part of this year, the clothing mix is likely to become even more diverse and vibrant. Middlebury College students haven't shown up in large numbers at the Urban Exchange, Curavoo said, but she thinks she knows a way to have their clothing (then probably college-age buyers) show up.

   Students who wanted to earn some extra money could act as on-campus buyers, she said, getting a percentage of the price just like the store. If that means getting some of the things brought by Midd's international students, now about 10 percent of the student body, the Urban Exchange racks could get very interesting (love means never having to sell your sari?)

   Another part of Curavoo's plan was to avoid taking business away from the non-for-profit donation and consignment shops. Her statement that she aims to please a particular clientele seemed accurate on the afternoon of this reporter's visit: youths of middle- to high-school age were swarming the store, and people over 30 didn't appear to trust it.

   One of the niftiest parts of Curavoo's store design was having racks small enough so everyone can see everyone else. It makes talking about clothing as easy as buying, so that the Urban Exchange becomes a gathering place as well as a commercial enterprise.

   Females predominated, which should surprise no one familiar with the usual mix of downtown business districts. Curavoo wants to increase her men's and children's departments, but is hitting the wall in terms of space-literally.

   The having the word “Urban” in the name might seem a bit odd to older residents of this rural county, but the generation that has made rap music and hip-hop culture mainstream phenomena recognizes “urban” as linked to that mix of influences. Look up “urban outfitters” on Google and you'll find at least 20 pages of references, and “urban clothing” also brings up The Urban Shop, UrbanMall.com, ClubUrban.com, UrbanDubz.com (a hip-hop reference), Bounceclothing.com (dance scene), GoGenX.com, and more.

   With the Urban Exchange at one end of Main Street's row of shops and Vermont Beads & Fibers near the other, the downtown area has certainly become more of a draw for Generation Whatever. There is a rumor (couldn't confirm) that Bethany Barry might sell the latter store; if so, here's hoping someone buys it to run as is, because the two stores together have added light and liveliness to the places that frame the Battell Bridge.       

 


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